


Loki:  For All That Is Lost

by AJD52376



Series: Loki Trilogy [1]
Category: Loki - Fandom, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Avenger Loki (Marvel), Marvel Universe, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:34:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 81,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23368525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AJD52376/pseuds/AJD52376
Summary: Loki from the 2012 branch timeline has found his way to the main timeline of the MCU after the events of Endgame and his escape with the Tesseract and subsequent adventures.   Inexplicably dealing with memories that are his, but not his, struggling to adjust and acclimate and process his death at the hands of Thanos, he finds himself in a new home, New Asgard, all that he'd known previously now lost after the events of Ragnarok.    After a vision of his mother and rescuing a mysterious and extraordinary stranger, Loki must protect her and his new world from new threats that have  joined forces against the remnants of the once mighty Asgard.
Series: Loki Trilogy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1817131
Comments: 13
Kudos: 26
Collections: Loki





	1. Chapter 1

The sullen looking figure in the green tunic scanned the scene before him with despair as the chill salty wind from the sea raised the locks of his dark hair from his shoulders. He watched as men and women wheeled carts of fish from the docks as those still on the boats secured them and disembarked as the sun began to set. Loki forlornly shook his head.

“How the mighty have fallen…” he mused aloud, softly and sadly.

He had once ruled over these people as their King, albeit in the guise of another. Yet even though the form he’d conjured then had not been his own, his actions had been. He was not wrong when he had told his brother that Asgard had prospered under his rule. It was a time of abundance, peace, revels...and of course theater. How he loved theater! There seemed to be but little time for such things in this new home, this “New Asgard” where those same people, the ones who had survived at least, now lived like mere mortals, eking out a simple existence.

The old world was long gone...the palace where he had grown up, the ocean clear as crystal, the mountains and forests where his mother had shown him so many secrets, the Bifrost...all of it was no more except in his memory. Did those things still exist in theirs? They didn’t act as if they did. But perhaps the only way they could go on was to forget. Forget that beauty, that power. Forget the other realms they no longer could access or defend. They were warriors and protectors no more. The biggest fight they faced now was grappling with the weight of nets full of fish.

Memories…..that was what was weighing Loki down at that moment. He had been drowning in them since the day only a short time ago that Thor had returned him to the people of Asgard after his reappearance and reunion with his brother. It was the only place that made any sense for him to go under the circumstances. Loki felt as if he had a boulder chained to his ankle and had been tossed into the sea.

It was not memories of Asgard alone, it was the avalanche of others that had assailed him like a flood once he’d found himself thrust into this timeline, a timeline where the man he knew as his future self had given his life in a vain attempt to save all that was left of what he had held dear. Memories that were his, but at the same time not “his.” Memories this Loki had not lived but were still his to grapple with now nonetheless. How that came to be he knew not, nor did anyone else for that matter. There was so much he didn’t understand. Along with those of his other self, his future self, he had as well those offered by his brother, Thor and Valkyrie. As he had put his palm to their foreheads, he absorbed the images of things he had not witnessed.

Thanos, his own death at his hand, literally, seen through his brother’s eyes, or eye as the case was at the time. He remembered it clearly, his essence leaving his broken body, a bright light, a feeling of warmth, and peace. For the first time in his existence, he’d felt what he had promised the people of Midgard years ago, peace in his heart. Time seemed to have no relevance . That was all he could recall of the experience. As if on the end of a bungee cord, he’d found himself being pulled back into this body, his body, but not his body. He somehow instinctively knew that the merging process was ongoing, that eventually he would not feel like two people inhabiting the same form, but for now, it was more than a bit overwhelming.

The strangest part was that he now had two sets of memories of one event...in one, he had been returned to Asgard by his brother to stand in chains before his father, thrown into the dungeons for what was to have been the remainder of his life. In the second, the bungling of “Earth’s mightiest heroes” had opened the door for his escape and he had of course wasted no time in taking full advantage of it. He was more than intelligent enough to understand the concept of branch timelines which explained the two disparate memories, yet it was still disorienting.

But one memory, not his own, stood out most. It had come from the memory cache of his brother, Thor. The image of his beloved mother, Frigga, being run through with a sword, tumbling limply to the floor, dead at the feet of Malekith and that other disgusting dark elf monstrosity. Memories of his own rage on top of the rage of his brother swirled in his head. His own was more than enough, He knew his mother’s death had been avenged, he had seen to that himself...or rather, the other him had done so. He had that satisfaction at least, but little solace did it provide him. She was dead and remained so, still far from him and unreachable in the realm of Valhalla. Had he been there with her? Had he been forced to separate from her once more? He could not remember as much as he wanted to. It was lost to him.

As all other Asgardians knew, they did not end at physical death, they existed beyond, but it was still a mysterious existence. Was it better? Even Asgardians didn’t know everything (and he feared they’d eventually know far less as they adapted to life here on Midgard, as the next generations came along that would never know the old world and its wonders.) He remembered the peace he had felt and hoped that it was that peaceful forever, for her sake, and for his own, for he knew someday, like all living things, he would return and it would be for eternity.

He turned from the scene before him and began to walk along the rows of whitewashed houses, his head bowed, deep in thought.

“Loki!” the familiar female voice originated from somewhere behind him. He stopped as he heard the sound of feet on the pavement. “Loki…” she said his name again. He did not turn nor answer but remained frozen in place. Valkyrie rushed the last remaining steps behind him and moved around him to face him.

“There you are. I’ve been looking for you.”

“I can be a difficult man to find when I wish not to be found.” Valkyrie ignored the obvious hint that Loki wanted nothing more in that moment than to be left alone.

“Dinner’s being served soon in the hall. I’m sorry, it’s a bit later than usual. We wanted to wait until everyone was back.”

“Thank you. I’m not hungry.” Loki started forward again, expecting Valkyrie to make way but she remained where she stood, a look of concern etched on her face.

“Loki….Whatever happened, however it is you’re here, you’re not a ghost. You have to eat. You’ve barely eaten anything since you arrived and that was more than a week ago. You haven’t changed out of those clothes since you got here.”

“Midgardian clothing is not to my taste. I wouldn’t worry, if I begin to smell, no one will notice over the ever present stench of fish.” Of course, Loki had worn Midgardian clothing many times in the past, he quite liked some styles, but now, he couldn’t bring himself to do so. It felt like...surrender….abandonment. Someone had to remember who they were, who they had been, “I’m also well acquainted with my mortality. For lack of a better term, I lived it.”

“That’s not what I-” she paused for a moment, studying Loki’s face, the sadness, the pain in his eyes. She felt something she had not believed when she had first met him on Sakaar she could ever feel towards the man who had so callously forced her to relive the single most brutally painful moment of her life….pity. She placed her palm on his chest, “Everyone is happy to have you back with us. You as much as your brother are why we’re still alive today. If you hadn’t come…you truly are the savior of Asgard.”

“The savior of Asgard…” Loki repeated with a sneer, “What fate did I save them for exactly? This?” Loki gestured towards the houses, “So Asgard could cast aside their blades, their glory, and become simpleton fishermen? I released that demon to thrust his sword into the very heart of everything we held dear and reduce it all to atoms and ash!”

“There was no other way! You know that. If anyone is to blame, it’s Odin. He should have told you, told Thor about Hela, found another way to keep her imprisoned. He knew he’d die someday.”

“Odin should have told many people a great many things, perhaps no one more than myself. However, as much as it pains me to admit it, it wasn’t solely the failures of the Allfather. I led that maniac right to us. I’m no one’s savior. My father said once, everywhere I go there is war, ruin and death. He wasn’t wrong. I should leave this place, leave before I bring it all down on us all over again.” Loki said mournfully.

“You couldn’t have known what would happen. None of us could have. Heimdall himself only saw it in just enough time to get barely half of us into the escape pods! We all make mistakes. I’ve made more than enough of my own. The fact still remains, they’re here, they’re alive because when you had the choice, you made the right one! You could have stayed on Sakaar, you could have gone anywhere, left us to our fate, but you didn’t!” Valkyrie said, desperate to break through the darkness and despair that seemed to have overtaken him.

“Maybe they’d have been better off if I had!” Loki exclaimed.

“Loki, stop. Stop this! Please, come join us. Your people need you.” Valkyrie pleaded, her voice a mix of concern and frustration, Yes, she was the “King” of Asgard now, Thor having passed the title to her, Loki being dead at the time, but she knew her people still needed that connection to the old, to Odin, to all that went before and she was sure Loki needed it as well. Loki was silent for a moment.

“My people, ” Loki said with a soft laugh and a pained grin, “They’re not my people. They never were. I’ve always been a world apart.” Loki stepped around Valkyrie and continued on his way, “Another time, perhaps, when I too have finally been able to delude myself of reality and it no longer sours my appetite.” Valkyrie watched him go with a helpless expression.

***************************

Loki half heartedly pushed open the wooden door to his sparsely furnished bedroom in the last house of the row of two story houses. A palace it was not. Even his cell in the dungeons seemed higher class and luxurious in comparison. It was a constant reminder to him of all that had been lost. He had everything he needed...clothing, food, a roof over his head, a bed to sleep in, all the necessities of life, yet nothing he needed. But what did he need? He was sure he no longer knew. He had felt alone his whole life, but never quite this alone. It was a different sort of alone.

Loki didn’t bother to turn on the light. The sun was below the horizon, only a tinge of pink, orange, and purple in the distant sky. He walked in the darkness to the window and pushed aside the simple curtain and looked out and down at the sidewalk below. He watched as Asgardians, no longer wearing ornamented robes and gowns of rich fabric, but simple Midgardian clothing, women no longer even bothering with elaborate hairstyles, wearing their hair loose or in simple plaits, walked past on their way to the communal dining hall. Children rushed ahead of their parents, playing and skipping, calling out to friends. Two boys, brothers, playfully pushed each other off the sidewalk. A slight grin crossed Loki’s face but then faded into a blank stare, then sadness as he looked down and turned away from the window.

******************************

Hours later, sleep eluding him, Loki turned the pages of the book in his hand as he sat propped against pillows in his bed. He wore a blue cotton shirt over what Midgardians called “sweatpants.” He had to admit they were comfortable. Unable to focus on the contents of the book, he sighed and closed it, sitting it on the bedside table. Reaching over he turned off the small lamp and after adjusting the pillows, slid down in the bed, covering himself with the flannel blankets. He turned on his side and stared towards the window for a few moments, the streetlamps outside casting a faint orange glow onto the curtains, before finally closing his eyes, listening to the ticking of the old clock on the wall, willing it to lure him to slumber.

The faint light from outside was suddenly broken by a shadow stretching across the floor and over Loki. Sensing its presence, he slowly opened his eyes. A figure stood by the window. Anger rose in Loki at someone intruding in his living space and doing so to watch him at such an intimate and vulnerable time as during his sleep. He sat up quickly and conjured a dagger in each hand.

“Who the hell do you think you-” At the sound of his voice, the figure glided gracefully across the room, past the end of his bed and towards the door. Loki was able to make out what looked like the slight train of a gown...an Asgardian style. As the door opened, for a moment a light in the hallway illuminated the figure and caused the plaited and coiffed hair to glisten like golden threads. The figure turned and looked at Loki with a sad smile, then exited the room, closing the door behind. Loki sent his daggers back into the ether and threw aside the blanket.

“Mother?! Mother! Wait!” Loki rushed towards the door then stopped himself. No, this had to be a dream. He had finally managed to fall asleep despite all the thoughts weighing down his brain, maybe even because of them, and this was all just a dream he thought to himself. He turned back towards the empty bed.

“Loki…” he heard his mother’s voice call faintly from the bottom of the stairs.

Loki bolted to the door and threw it open, rushing out of his room and towards the stairs at the end of the hall. He looked down them only to catch a glimpse of the very end of the train of silvery blue. He rushed down the stairs just in time to catch sight of the front door of the house close. Dashing to it, Loki threw it back open.

As he stepped out onto the empty and silent street, the streetlamps aglow above him, he looked frantically to the left and right, finally spotting her across the street on the path heading down towards the sea. He could hear the waves rushing to the shore.

“Mother! Wait!” Loki cried as he crossed the street quickly to the path his mother had followed. Frigga was farther ahead than she should have been at the speed she’d appeared to have been walking. She stopped and turned her head to look over her shoulder at him, gesturing for him to follow.

When he finally caught up to her, she was standing on the shore in the moonlight staring out at the sea. He rushed up beside her, staring at her in amazement. She continued to look over the water in silence. Afraid if this was a dream, he’d break the spell and awaken, wanting to stretch this moment out as long as he possibly could, Loki kept his voice low.

“Mother…”

Frigga finally spoke, her voice the same musical, gentle voice he remembered.

“Your father was right. It is beautiful here.” Loki stood perplexed, still in a state of shock. She turned towards him and smiled, a hint of tears in her eyes. Loki felt them welling up in his own.

“Mother….how….but you’re-” he couldn’t bring himself to say the word.

“As were you and here you stand. You keep using that word….‘mother.’ The last time we spoke, you denied I deserved that title.”

“I only meant that…” Loki paused, still staring at Frigga in disbelief,“I’m sorry….for all of it.” Loki’s voice choked slightly.

“It matters not. I did not come for an apology, though it is heartening to hear the great king finally admit his faults. But I haven’t much time.”

“Mother….please.. Stay here with me...or take me with you, I care not which!” Loki pleaded. Frigga looked at her son lovingly.

“My Loki, you’ve been through so much. You’ve grown through those trials. But there are still lessons you have yet to learn. I came bearing a gift. Protect her. Keep her safe. Everything depends on it.”

“Protect who….? I don’t understand….”

Frigga reached her hand out to touch Loki’s cheek but hesitated, rescinding her hand.

“I must go now. I love you, my son.”

Frigga turned and began to walk away from Loki along the shoreline. Loki stood confused as he watched her then began to follow after her. Again she seemed to cover more distance than seemed possible at the speed she appeared to walk.

“Wait! Please! Take me back with you! There’s nothing for me here!”

Frigga stopped and turned, smiling at Loki one last time, reaching her hands out towards him before fading into a mist of shimmering gold.

“No!” As Loki rushed towards the sparkling mist of energy, it rose into the sky, dispersing among the stars. He watched it dissipate, collapsing to his knees. With a desperate cry of heartache and frustration, he pounded the ground with a closed fist.

Finally raising his head, he looked towards the spot where he had last seen his beloved mother. He could make out a mass lying on the ground in the darkness. Cautiously and curiously he rose to his feet and made his way towards it. Reaching it, he looked down to see the form of a woman appearing to be around the same age as Thor’s Jane lying on her side. Her long, golden wavy hair was wet and partially obscured her face. Her skin was so fair it almost seemed to glow in the moonlight. She wore a loose, full length baby blue slip, like a nightgown, simple and unadorned which was soaked through as if she’d washed up from the sea. She appeared lifeless.

Loki knelt down beside the woman, looking her over with wonder, and gently placed a hand on her shoulder half expecting her to fade away like one of his illusions at his touch. He felt her shoulder slightly rise and heard her take a breath with a slight sighing sound as she began to shiver.

“Hello? Can you hear me?” Loki asked in a gentle voice.

The woman’s eyes fluttered open weakly. She looked at Loki for a moment, disoriented, before recognition along with bewilderment overtook her expression.

“Loki?” Her voice was weak, barely above a whisper, and shaky as her shivering worsened. She then slipped back into unconsciousness.

Loki was perplexed at her recognition of him when he could not recall ever seeing her in his life, either of them, though that could be explained by his exploits on Midgard years earlier. He had been worldwide news after all. Realizing the woman’s precarious state in the cold night of the Norwegian early spring, he lifted her from the shore in his arms and began to move quickly back towards the path.

“Loki...it’s really you.” the mysterious stranger said weakly, sleepily as she momentarily regained consciousness and snuggled closer to him, struggling for warmth as he carried her up the pathway.

“Yes,” he said ‘At least I think it is, though I’m not sure I can be sure of anything anymore’ he thought to himself. Loki looked down at the woman, his mother’s command echoing in his head, “You’re safe now.” His mother had said to protect her, but what was he supposed to protect her from? He did not know but he was sure he was going to find out, and probably sooner rather than later.


	2. Chapter 2

“What in the name of-”

Valkyrie awakened to thunderous pounding on her front door. Exasperated, she sat up, throwing the blankets aside and swinging her legs that felt weighted with fatigue over the side of the bed, placing her feet into her slippers. She stood, grabbing her robe from a hook on the back of the door as she exited her bedroom, tying it around her.

There were only a few reasons she could think of that someone would be making such a racket at her front door this time of the night, and none of them were good, especially considering recent events.

“Who is it? What’s going on?” She called out as she stumbled, still shaking off the last vestiges of sleep, towards the door.

“It’s Loki! Quickly!”

Valkyrie reached the door and turned the deadbolt, then the knob.

“Loki! What in the nine realms...?” Loki pushed his way in before Valkyrie had the door completely open. She didn’t immediately notice the burden he carried as her brain was still working on going from sleep to fully functioning, “What is it? What’s wrong? You probably woke the whole town-” Valkyrie abruptly stopped as she saw the woman in Loki’s arms, “Who is that? She’s soaked! Quick, this way. We need to get her out of those clothes!”

Another woman in a robe, her long brown hair braided into one large braid laying across her shoulder stepped into the doorway that Loki and Valkyrie were rushing towards, also shaking off sleep and looking stunned.

“Gunilla! Blankets! Then go get Ragna! Tell her to come quickly!” Valkyrie called out as Gunilla moved out of their way. Gunilla rushed to the nearby closet and swung open the door, pulling blankets from a shelf inside.

Valkyrie led Loki up the stairs and into her bedroom. He stood by the bed continuing to hold the shivering woman in his arms. Valkyrie sped to a dresser and wrenched open a drawer, pulling out a long, flannel white nightgown printed with small violets. She threw the nightgown on the bed before turning back towards the bedroom door.

“Towels!” She exclaimed before rushing out of the room and returnng in a few seconds with a handful of them. Gunilla came into the room with a pile of blankets and sat them on the bed before quickly exiting the room.

“Sit her up so I can get that slip off her! We have to get her dry! She’s ice cold!” Loki sat on a chair, attempting to position the shivering and unconscious woman into a more upright position hooking his arm around her middle with her head resting on his shoulder. Valkyrie tugged at the bottom of the long slip, peeling it from the woman’s body up towards her head.

“Perhaps I should leave this in your expert hands.” Loki looked unsure and uncomfortable as Valkyrie continued pulling the slip over the woman’s panties and bare abdomen.

“Don’t be a prude.”

“I may be many things, but a voyeur is not among them." Loki replied.

Valkyrie lifted the woman’s arms up with one hand, working the wet shift up over her head with the other. Loki turned his head. Valkyrie grabbed a towel off the bed and pushed it towards him.

“It’s a woman, don’t tell me you’ve never seen a fully formed one before.”

“Of course I’ve seen a woman before, what do you take me for?” Loki retorted in irritation.

“You really don’t want me to answer that.” Valkyrie rubbed the woman’s body vigorously from the legs up with a towel. Loki with one arm wrapped around the now nude woman’s middle to hold her in a leaning upright position held another towel in his free hand.

“It’s simple curtesy to have permission, but then I’ve never before needed to ask-”

“I’m sure you’re just a chick magnet.” Valkyrie said sarcastically as Loki rubbed the towel over the woman’s hair. Valkyrie rose from her kneeling position in front of the woman and grabbed the flannel nightgown off the bed. The woman continued to shiver but the severity had lessened.

“A what?” Loki looked puzzled, not sure if he should be insulted.

“It’s a colloquialism. Slang. It means popular with women.”

“What sort of people refer to their fairest members as if they’re barnyard animals?” Loki asked disgustedly.

“The kind that buys our fish, mostly.” Valkyrie put the nightgown over the woman’s head and pulled it down over her body, “There. Lie her down.” Valkyrie plumped the pillows as Loki re-situated the woman in his arms and then laid her carefully into the bed. Valkyrie pulled the blankets up over her, then unfolded the ones Gunilla had brought in and spread them out. The two stood looking down at what little they could see of the still form under all the blankets.

“Where did you find her?”

“Near the sea, on the shore.”

“What were you doing out there this time of night? Out for a midnight stroll?” Valkyrie paused, a dark thought coming to mind. “Wait. You weren’t planning to-” Valkyrie cut herself off before finishing, making a hanging gesture. Her concern over Loki’s mental state had been growing over the last couple of days, especially after their exchange that afternoon.

“Heavens no, of course not! Death rejected me once already. It favors me no more than anyone else.”

“Except for all those ‘chicks.’”

“Yes. Of course...them.” Loki grinned as he looked down upon the sleeping woman.

“Whatever you were up to, it was a good thing you found her when you did. She wouldn’t have made it much longer.”

“If you must know, I was talking to my mother.” Valkyrie turned her head questioningly toward Loki, looking concerned once again.

“Frigga? Loki….Frigga’s...she’s….you mean you were just communing…”

“I saw her. Spoke with her. She led me to her.”

“But Loki, your mother is in Valhalla. She couldn’t have-” Loki turned his head to look at Valkyrie, his face deadly serious.

“I’m not mad!” Loki returned his attention once again to the woman lying in the bed, “At least no more than usual.”

“I’m not sure that’s all that comforting. From what I understand, your usual level of madness left a big chunk of New York a pile of rubble.”

“That wasn’t madness. That was….something else.”

“It was something else, alright.”

“What’s all this about?” Another female voice filled the room from the doorway. Loki and Valkyrie turn to see a middle aged Asgardian woman dressed in a flannel shirt and jeans holding a leather bag standing just inside the doorway.

“Ragna! Come in! Thank you for coming. This woman was found down by the shore. She was soaked to the bone, nearly frozen to death. Probably a boating accident.”

Ragna walked to the bedside as Valkyrie and Loki shuffled aside. Ragna put a hand on the woman’s forehead, then opened her bag.

“Poor thing.” Ragna pulled a digital thermometer gun out of her bag and aimed the laser dot at the woman’s forehead and checked the readout. It was a far cry from the technology she had once enjoyed as an Asgardian physician, but it did the job, most of the time. She proceeded to examine the woman for any injuries, “She’s only suffering mild hypothermia now. You did exactly the right thing.” Ragna lifted one of the unconscious woman’s eyelids, then the other, shining a light into them, “No signs of any neurological damage. My diagnosis would be a very cold, and a very lucky young woman.”

“You notice nothing amiss? Nothing different about her?” Loki asked quizzically. Ragna looked at him a bit confused, as if she were missing a key piece of a puzzle.

“No….she appears to be as any other mortal woman of Midgard. Why?”

“I’d like to get a second opinion on that.” A male voice said from behind them. Startled, Loki, Valkyrie, and Ragna turned to see a cloaked man standing in the doorway.

“Excuse me, I’m not sure we’ve met before.” Ragna said, not recognizing the new arrival and a bit annoyed thinking her diagnosis was being questioned.

“We haven’t. I’m Dr. Stephen Strange. I keep a watch on beings who could be a threat to this world and this one just set off all the alarms in every sanctum on the planet,” Dr. Strange walked towards the trio and the bed, looking suspiciously over at Loki, “or maybe it’s just the company she keeps.”

“I would watch my tongue if I were you, wizard.” Loki said to Strange menacingly.

“Trust me, my tongue isn’t the only thing I’m watching.” he replied.

“Loki, Stephen’s a friend. He’s on our side.” Valkyrie informed Loki.

“How does that Earth saying go? With friends like that-” Loki said with contempt.

“Who needs enemies. Who indeed…” Strange trailed off, “I’ve known you were here from the minute you arrived and I’ve done nothing. I’ve kept my distance. If I thought you posed a threat-”

“Oh, trust me, wizard. If I decide to pose a threat you’ll know it as you’ll find yourself strangled by your entrails-”

“Loki!” Valkyrie interjected, cutting him off, “Enough. If there’s something dangerous here, don’t you think we should find out what it is? Advanced notice would be a welcome change of pace.”

Dr. Strange stood staring down at the sleeping woman in the bed, eyeing her intently. He put a hand out over her forehead. Loki reached out and quickly grasped his wrist in an iron grip.

“I’ll have you know, she’s under my protection.”

“I assumed as much. I have no intention of harming her, whoever or whatever she happens to be. I understand you had another visitor earlier this evening.” Loki released his grip on Strange’s wrist and stood staring at Strange with a mixture of shock and anger.

“How could you know that? Is this place crawling with insects?” Dr. Strange looked perplexed at Loki’s question for a moment, then chuckled.

“You mean bugged. No. Not in the traditional sense anyway. But I do have my ways to find out what I need to know about those I have a particular interest in. I’d like a few moments in private to examine the subject at hand, if you don’t mind.” Valkyrie put a hand on Ragna’s arm and they turned and began walking towards the door. Loki remained fixed to the spot at the side of the bed. Strange stared at him. Loki stared back menacingly.

“I’m not leaving this room. If you’d like to send me falling through the void for another thirty minutes, we can discuss the dire consequences for you of that decision.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Strange responded to Loki as he turned his attention back to the woman on the bed. He pulled her arm out from under the blankets and grabbed her wrist as if to take her pulse.

“I’m happy to hear it, for your sake.” Loki replied. Dr. Strange remained silent but slightly rolled his eyes, “Finish whatever it is you feel you need to do so you can crawl back to your hovel full of worthless rubbish and leave us in peace.”

“That’s the plan, Stan.”

“I’m Loki, Prince of Asgard, rightful king of the Jotunheim and you will address me-”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I know. It’s just an expression. Cool your - never mind.”

Loki kept a close watch on every move Strange made as the master of the mystic arts studied the woman lying before him. He examined the length of one arm, then the other, then gently turned her head from side to side, scanning the skin of her neck. Conjuring a mandala of golden magic with his hand, he ran it the length of her body.

“And you noticed nothing peculiar, no markings, nothing identifying? She displayed no behavior that was out of the ordinary?” Strange inquired.

“No, nothing. I must admit I was more concerned with the fact she was freezing to death to take any notice.”

“That’s certainly out of the ordinary.”

“What?”

“That you were concerned about a mere mortal.” Loki genuinely appeared hurt by Strange’s sarcastic statement.

“I’m not the heartless fiend you take me for.” Loki retorted.

“Could have fooled me when I was putting your victims’ bodies back together in New York. On the bright side, you put the children of a lot of medical supply company and hospital executives through college. Gave a real economic boost to the mortuary industry along the way.”

“And I suppose you ’put those bodies ‘back together’ for free, out of the goodness of your own heart.” Strange stood looking down at the woman for a moment, taken aback at Loki’s comment, remembering the man he used to be.

“A man has to eat.”

“There’s a difference between cabbage and caviar.”

“I always found caviar a bit too salty for my taste.”

“My true intentions were to finally bring peace to the people of this realm.” said Loki.

“And you thought you’d accomplish that by being the world’s biggest douchebag.” Strange replied.

“A millennium ago my father agreed not to interfere in affairs here, to allow all of you to find ‘your own way,’ and the results have been nothing short of disastrous. Your people abuse and slaughter each other on a daily basis over trivialities. I would have put an end to all of that. You must have the storm to get to the calm after. ”

“So you were just cracking the eggs to make the omelet.”

“We were all his puppets in our own way.” Loki said, weary of the subject of their conversation, the combativeness gone from his tone, ‘his’ meaning Thanos of course, but he had no desire to say the name ever again.

“I suppose that much is true.” A heavy silence fell between the two men. Strange ended his examination of the woman and took a step back from the bedside.

“Are you quite through?” Loki asked as Strange crossed an arm across his chest, propping his other elbow against it and resting his chin on his closed hand.

“I have to be missing something. I’m seeing nothing that should have sounded the alert to her presence. Has she been conscious at all since you found her? Has she said anything?”

“Minimally. She seemed to know me. But then so does everyone now. Our existence is no longer a secret. We no longer reside in the realm of myth and fiction, relegated to outlandish children’s stories obviously concocted by heathens who’d imbibed a few too many tankards of ale.”

“Or that they created to use for their own ends, which is exactly what I want to avoid here. You said that your mother led you to her, that she was here, you spoke with her. Yet your mother has been…” Strange glanced at Loki, the look on his face warning Strange to tread carefully, “...gone...for a number of years now.”

“Yes. She told me to keep her safe, to protect her. I know not why, she didn’t say, but she was clear it was of the utmost importance that I do so. She said everything depended upon it.”

“Are you sure it was really her?”

“I know my own mother! I’d stake my life on it.”

“You seem to have a great many of those. I’m not sure that’s saying much.”

“She knew things only my mother could possibly know. She related our last conversation before her death. I was in the dungeons, isolated in my cell.”

The woman on the bed stirred slightly. Dr. Strange stepped back towards the bedside. The woman’s eyes slowly opened and she looked around in confusion as her vision focused.

“What….where….who are you? How did I….?” the woman said in confusion as Strange put a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s alright. You’re safe now. I’m Dr. Stephen Strange. What’s your name?”

“I don’t….I’m not sure…wait….Angela. My name is Angela.”

“Do you have a last name, Angela?”

“I do...but I don’t…I can’t remember...” Strange smiled down at her and patted her shoulder.

“Do you know what happened to you, how you got here?”

“No...no I don’t. I’m sorry.”

“That’s ok. It’s not unusual after what you’ve experienced. You were hypothermic. In simple terms, your body got too cold . That slows down blood flow to the brain. When that happens, your brain shuts some parts down to protect itself and conserve energy. In these situations the amnesia is almost always temporary.”

“Where is ‘here?’” The woman asked, looking scared and confused.

“You’re in Norway. A place called New Asgard. It used to be called Tonsberg.”

“Norway? I remember…..there was a woman…i don’t know where...it was so bright…she was very kind, so beautiful, I remember wishing I was that beautiful. No one ever thought I was beautiful….back home…someone, something, was trying to find me. I just remember, I couldn’t let them find me.” The woman seemed to temporarily lapse back into confusion.

“Back home. Can you tell me where that is?” Strange asked hopefully.

“No….I can’t….I know that I know, I just can’t…”

“It’s alright.” Strange reassured her.

“They look like people, but they’re not people, they couldn’t find me. But they did find me…it took them a long time, but they did…I wasn’t ready yet…then that woman, she found me...I didn’t want to go back, but she told me I had to….she told me she knew someone that could help me, he would keep me safe. I knew him...then I realized I knew her too….I thought I did, but I wasn’t sure, She brought me here. I couldn’t feel anything, then I felt things again…I felt cold, so cold.”

Dr. Strange listened to her ramblings patiently. He turned to Loki who looked confused and concerned.

“Her neurons are working at reconnecting. It’s how the brain works, it breaks memories into smaller pieces, then puts then together again, like a puzzle, but after trauma it isn’t always able to fit them back together in the right order or some are left out.” Strange explained.

Angela’s expression suddenly became frightened and anxious. She tried to raise herself up and look around.

“Loki?!”

“I’m here.” Loki stepped over as Dr. Strange stepped aside. A calm came over her and she laid back into the pillow.

“You should rest now. I can give you something if you’d like.” Strange said soothingly.

“No…I don’t need….I’m just so tired…” Angela’s eyes fluttered and she again faded out of consciousness. Loki looked down at her serene face and then reached out, brushing a lock of hair aside. There was something peaceful and soothing about merely touching her or being close to her he couldn’t explain. He didn’t know her yet he felt as if he wanted nothing more than to wrap himself around her, not in a sexual way, but just to absorb that calm and peace into himself, to be wrapped in it like a soft cocoon.

“I was wrong. I don’t think it’s her we need to be worried about. It’s who’s looking for her and why.”

“But who would be looking for her? She’s just…” the just stuck on Loki’s tongue and he paused. This woman wasn’t “just” anything, even if she was a mortal, “She’s a mortal. Surely there’s nothing about her whomever or whatever it is couldn’t get from any other. She had no possessions other than what she was wearing.”

“No Tesseract hidden in a quantum pocket, I’m sure.” Dr. Strange quipped acidly. Loki felt guilt rise within him again and looked down in silence. He had no more energy left for a reply or further banter, “I’d like to have a look at what she was wearing.” Loki looked down and behind him to his right at the pile of towels on the floor. He stepped over and bent down rifling through them and pulling out the thin, soaked blue slip, handing it over to Strange.

“I could give you her undergarments as well if you’d like. Perhaps you have a collection among your other relics.” Loki said insultingly as he handed over the shift.

“This is fine, and no...no undergarment collection, magical or otherwise.” Strange said as he examined the wet slip, feeling the fabric between his fingers, examining the cut and seams, then holding it up to his nose, smelling it. Loki smiled mischievously.

“Are you sure you don’t want them?” Loki quipped. Strange stared up at Loki over the shift under his nose at Loki’s implication but chose not to dignify it with a reply.

“Whatever this is, it isn’t salt water. She wasn’t in the sea.”

“What then?” Loki asked, confounded by Strange’s observation.

“I don’t know. I’ll need to take this with me. It seems you have a job to do, as do I. I’m returning to the Sanctum to try to find out what I can. Valkyrie knows how to contact me. I just hope we can put the pieces together before it’s too late.”

Too late for what? That was the question that troubled Loki. How can you protect someone when you don’t know what or whom you’re protecting them from? If you know what to look out for, it’s easier. When you don’t it’s like trying to swat flies in the dark. Dr. Strange glanced at Loki, noting that he looked tired. Dark circles were beginning to form under his eyes and his whole countenance was one of exhaustion.

“Get some rest while you can. I have a feeling you’re going to need it.” Strange advised Loki.

Loki gave an acknowledging nod without replying as he gazed down upon his new charge. Strange turned and left the room with the shift in his hand. What was it about this mortal that drew him to her so? It wasn’t merely just his mother’s involvement. He knew there was more to it.

Valkyrie reentered the room, returning to her previous position beside Loki, glancing over at him.

“You look terrible, I mean, you haven’t been looking particularly well lately...”

“Thank you.” Loki answered sarcastically.

“You should go home. I’ll keep an eye on her. She’ll be fine here with us the rest of the night.” Valkyrie assured Loki.

“No, I’ll stay….if that’s alright with you.”

“Suit yourself. I’ll take the spare room.” Valkyrie replied before leaving the room.

Loki turned, making his way the few steps to the light switch, then quietly closed the door and engaged the lock. Crossing the room in the darkness to the window, he tested its lock. He knew that anyone or anything that would be after her would most likely not be stopped by simple locks, but it gave him the sense that he was doing something. He sat down on the other side of the double bed opposite the sleeping woman. Turning his head, he looked over at her. Lying down on the bed beside her, he stared at the ceiling. As he finally closed his eyes, gingerly he reached over, placing his hand on top of hers. That soothing feeling of calm, of peace, enveloped him again and he fell into a peaceful slumber unlike he had experienced for a very, very long time.


	3. Chapter 3

Loki felt the warm rays of morning sunlight on his eyelids. He opened his eyes, his vision adjusting to the light as the fog of sleep lifted. He had not slept all that long and Asgardians needed somewhat fewer hours than mortals to be at their best, but he had not been sleeping well since his return. He should have been dragging, yet he felt more rested than he could recall feeling since...he couldn’t really recall since when, actually.

His brain initially startled at the unfamiliar surroundings until the events of the previous night fell back into place in his consciousness. He turned his head quickly, sensing he was the only one remaining in the bed to confirm the fact. The space occupied by Angela the night before was empty. He quickly looked around the room, his heart rate picking up, before he spied her standing in front of the wooden dresser’s large mirror, staring silently into it as still as a mannequin, her eyes wide, a look of wonder on her face.

He watched as she slowly raised one hand and laid the palm of it on her cheek, staring into her own eyes before raising the other hand to her opposite cheek. Next, she slowly moved her hands up and past her temples into her thick, wavy, golden hair. It was unkempt from having slept on it wet yet still alluring. She moved her hands from her hair and put them to her abdomen, looking down, smoothing the front of her nightgown.

“Wha-?” He heard her whisper, unable to finish the word.

Not wishing to startle her, Loki slowly slid himself off the bed and rose to stand beside it before carefully and quietly making his way towards her, keeping his voice low as he addressed her for the first time.

“Hello. Good morning.” Loki greeted her. His voice seemed to break the spell Angela appeared to be under. She turned halfway from the mirror, his attempt at not startling her clearly failing as her sharp intake of breath was audible, her hand flying to her mouth. She slowly lowered it as she stared at him, her eyes pooling with tears, threatening to spill over, “Are you well?” Loki asked with concern.

“This isn’t….it can’t be real...I thought I was dreaming…or is this….am I dead?” Her last question caught Loki off guard.

“As the local authority on being dead, I assure you, you’re quite alive. This is all real, I’m real.” Loki replied. He continued to move slowly towards her. As he neared her, as one would attempt to coax and calm a frightened animal, he held out his hand. Slowly, unsurely, she reached hers out towards his. The tips of their fingers touched before he lightly grasped her hand, “You see?”

The irony wasn’t lost on Loki of how often in the past someone, friend or foe, had found him not to be real.

“Why would you think yourself dead? I’m somewhat familiar with earth people’s concepts of death. There’s no cherubs on clouds strumming harps, no sulfur and flames, though it’s true some have equated me with the Devil.” Loki said as he grinned with pride. Angela gently removed her hand from Loki’s and turned back towards the mirror, once again staring at her image in wonder.

“I never believed in those things. I always thought when I died, when people die, it would be like….a dream. Like living your fantasies, maybe. I always hoped it would be something like that, anyway.”

‘Almost freezing to death seems a strange sort of fantasy for anyone but a Jotun perhaps,’ Loki thought to himself. Though he was technically a Jotun himself, having been altered by Odin through the Allfather’s skill with Asgardian magic, he felt the cold and suffered from extremes of it as did any Asgardian or mortal, though perhaps less so. Angela continued to look at herself in the mirror, touching her face again.

“But this has to be a dream, it has to be…this isn’t me!”

“What do you mean, it isn’t you?” Loki asked, confused. Angela pointed towards her reflection in the mirror.

“This person. That’s not me.”

“Why do you say that?” Loki understood the concept of amnesia, he even knew a spell he’d employed himself to induce it in others, most notably his own adopted father, but he’d never experienced anyone not remembering their own reflection in a mirror.

“Because I’m beautiful!”

Loki smiled at that. At least he wouldn’t have to endure having to constantly be reassuring her of her physical attributes as so many men on Midgard seemed cursed to do their entire lifetimes.

“I don’t see how that would be vexing.”

“I was never beautiful. Ever. I mean, I wasn’t hideous, no one turned to stone when they looked at me, but I wasn’t anything special. I wasn’t….beautiful.” The last word came out just above a whisper.

“You said you didn’t believe in those things. You say you remember what you look like, or what you did look like. Do you remember anything else?” Loki asked hopefully. Angela continued staring at herself in the mirror contemplating before finally shaking her head.

“Bits and pieces, flashes of images, feelings...it’s like it’s in there but it’s behind a locked door and I don’t have the key.”

“You said that there were people trying to find you.” Loki said, attempting to remind her of what she had stated the night before. Angela turned from the mirror to face Loki who had moved to sit on the end of the bed.

“No, I’m sorry. I don’t remember any of that. I have no idea what I was talking about. I don’t know where I came from, how I got here, why I’m here. I just remember darkness and cold. I felt so cold...like I’d never be warm again.” Angela said. Loki was again reminded of Jotunheim, the cold that overtook him when he’d put his hands to the Casket of Ancient Winters in Odin’s vault on Asgard, when he had been determined to learn the truth. He was equally determined to get to the bottom of this mystery as well. More lives than just theirs could depend on it. “I don’t think it’s something I want to remember...my life before this. Something tells me I’ll be much happier if I don’t.”

Loki recalled his thoughts about the Asgardians now living in New Asgard and how he couldn’t imagine them not wanting to remember their old home and being content with their new lives. But they’d had a good life on Asgard, happy lives.

“Be that as it may, it may be important that you do. If there is something or someone looking for you to do you harm, if I am to protect you, I need to know as much as I possibly can.” Angela was silent for a moment, studying Loki questioningly.

“Protect me?” Angela asked, puzzled.

“Yes. You were placed under my protection.” Loki informed her.

“Who told you to protect me? Maybe you should ask them.”

“If only I could….unfortunately for us both it seems, my mother is dead.” Angela walked over to him and sat next to him on the end of the bed and instinctively put a hand on his leg in a gesture of comfort. He felt that feeling of peace flow through him again, like soaking in a relaxing warm bath after a hard, stressful day.

“I don’t think anyone ever ‘protected’ me before. I think for the most part I had to go it alone. Of course, I don’t know for sure. That’s just the feeling I get. Maybe that’s why I ended up here, but I think there’s something I need more right now.”

“Tell me. I’ll do what I can to acquire it.”

“A friend. I don’t think I had many of those.” The sadness in Angela’s eyes as he looked into them led him to believe that was most probably true. It was also something Loki found himself able to relate to. Loki put his hand over Angela’s as it rested on his leg and gripped it reassuringly.

“I am at your service.”

***************************************

Loki had moved Angela into the house that Valkyrie had procured for his use. There was plenty of room as previously Loki had been adamant about not sharing his living space, wanting more than anything at his arrival to be alone with his thoughts and left in peace. Yet even with the extra rooms, Loki refused to let Angela out of his sight for too long. The stakes were too high, he believed, to take any risks to her safety.

Each night he slept on a cot across the room, Angela sleeping in his bed, he only leaving the room to her own use for the privacy of changing. Even when she used the restroom he preferred to stay no more than ten steps from the door. Loki, a man who highly prized his own space and privacy, was surprised and relieved that she didn’t seem to mind. It was as if she was used to having someone keeping watch over her almost every waking moment. Had he been in her position he knew he would have felt absolutely smothered.

Word of the alluring castaway had of course spread through the Asgardian population. There were a few other mortals who had taken up residence there for various reasons so it was not terribly strange for another to join them. The fact that no one, including herself, knew who she really was or why or how she was there did set uncomfortably for some. The events that had led to the destruction of their home world and then Thanos following shortly thereafter led to unknowns creating uncertainty and suspicion and few failed to take notice of Loki’s constant hovering over her.

Though Loki, along with Thor and Valkyrie, was considered a “saviour of Asgard,” his prior history, the destruction of the Bifrost by Thor to stop his attempt at Jotun genocide, his exploits on Midgard years prior culminating in the calamity in New York, his usurping the throne, unbeknownst to them, from Odin caused some to naturally feel unsettled with the situation. They wanted to trust him but weren’t certain if they should. His rule as Odin had been benevolent, but they never could be completely sure of just what the God of Mischief was up to.

The bright sun of an early spring afternoon chased away the chill from the air of New Asgard as a few mortal and Asgardians were as usual busy on the docks as people filed through the shops nearby. Loki and Angela walked along the street towards the local tavern. Loki had not wanted to socialize or do more than walk the streets from time to time prior to Angela’s arrival, but he was finding himself feeling more like himself lately. He also knew it wasn’t good for his charge to keep her imprisoned at home, despite the possible undefined danger, his anxieties for her safety, and the lower level of control he had over the environment outside those walls.

As they entered the tavern, some took notice of their entrance before returning to their drinks and conversation. An old jukebox sat along the wall, the song “Miss You” by the Rolling Stones filling the air. Loki and Angela made their way towards the bar where Valkyrie sat, a tall tankard of ale in front of her.

“Another!” Valkyrie called out loudly after she had taken a long swallow, emptying the vessel and sliding it down the bar. An Asgardian bartender grabbed the tankard and refilled it it, sending it sliding quickly back down the bar. Valkyrie caught it as it went past with lighting speed.

“Is this the throne room of the great King Valkyrie?” Loki asked sarcastically, “It suits you.”

“We all must have our little pleasures.” she replied.

“How many ‘little pleasures’ have you had so far?” Loki replied.

“Not nearly enough.” Valkyrie pulled a folded square of paper from the pocket of her jeans and slid it on the bar towards Loki and Angela. “Sit down.”

Loki and Angela took the seats at the bar next to Valkyrie.

“What’s this?” Loki asked, picking up the square of paper.

“A declaration of war.” Valkyrie replied soberly, taking another large gulp of ale.

“What in the realms are you talking about?” Loki asked.

“Take a look. See for yourself.”

Loki unfolded the paper, Angela leaning closer to him to view it as well. On top of the paper was drawn a symbol of a large snake, its tail in its mouth and inside it an upside down triangle. Runes were drawn inside the triangle. Loki read the writing below, looking disconcerted.

“Who are these people?” he asked.

“We’re not sure. They call themselves the Order of Jörmungandr. We started finding them around town a couple weeks before you returned. At first we didn’t take it too seriously. It’s not unusual for there to be those who are unhappy about the arrival of new people and want to try to scare them away. We’ve also become competition for other fishing operations in the last few years, but then we found something more than just threatening letters.” Out of her other pocket, Valkyrie pulled out a small metal disk, some wires and other components attached.

“Is that what I think it is?” Angela asked with worry in her voice.

“A detonator, part of one anyway. It was attached to enough explosives to blow our warehouse from here to Niflheim. Well….maybe not quite that far, but you get the idea.” Valkyrie took one more swig from her drink, emptying it again and began to slide it back down the bar, “Anoth-” she began to call out. Loki put a hand on her shoulder.

“I think you’ve had enough. If Asgard is in danger from these people, we need you with a clear head. Do you know anything else about these people? How many are there?”

“I don’t know. Could be two, could be two thousand. I’ve been trying to find out but all I run into is dead ends. I’ve alerted the Norwegian authorities. They’re looking into it but so far they’ve come up as empty handed as we have. I haven’t told many others about it. I don’t want people getting scared, becoming mistrustful. We have mortals working for us, we’re trying to assimilate here. I don’t want any incidents.”

“Understandable.” Loki said, still reading the threatening letter. “What’s this drivel, at the end?” Loki said as he reached the end of the letter.

“That’s why I asked you to meet. It seems they know about our new arrival and they’re convinced she’s not who she says she is.”

“But I haven’t said who I am. I don’t know.” Angela replied.

“That’s the problem. When people don’t know, they fill in the blanks themselves. There’s been enough grumbling outside of New Asgard with Loki here after what happened in New York. We’re able to give him asylum because we’ve been given sovereign status as a displaced people, but anything connected to him...well, you know what I mean.”

Loki looked angry and also deeply worried. Now Angela was in danger from possibly two fronts.

“We should leave. I should take her away from here.” Loki said.

“Where would you go? If you leave here, you’re fair game. You could be arrested and extradited to the United States for trial.” Valkyrie responded.

“You really think so little of me?” Loki grinned.

“I know, it’s unlikely. S.H.I.E.L.D and The Avengers are no longer concerned with you and it’s highly unlikely the routine authorities could even hold me and I don’t have your tricks. But knowing that, they may not try. It may not be ‘wanted: dead or alive,’ but just dead. There are ways for mortals to kill us. It’s not easy, but it’s not impossible, either.”

An Asgardian man, muscular, bearded and rough looking, obviously having imbibed a few tankards previously, walked up from a rear table and approached the bar a few feet down from where Valkyrie, Loki, and Angela sat, placing an empty tankard on the bar. The bartender refilled it, putting it back on the bar in front of him. Just as he was reaching for it, he noticed the three. A drunken smirk spread across his face.

“Well lookie what the bilge snipes dragged in….” The two other men who were sitting at the back table with the man looked up from their drinks. Leaving his drink on the bar, the man approached.

“Back off, Geirolf. Take your drink and go back to your table. I’m not in the mood to deal with you today.” Valkyrie warned. Geirolf ignored her and moved closer to Angela, finally coming to stand behind her.

“So this is her, huh? Loki’s new pet. Where’s her leash? Aren’t you afraid she’ll run off?” The men at Geirolf’s table and a few others drunkenly laughed. Loki visibly tensed, his jaw clenching, his expression darkening. Angela noticed and reached over, putting a hand on Loki’s arm as she continued to stare in front of her, “I wish my dead mum would drop a pretty little piece of ass off on my doorstep all wrapped in a bow for me to play with. I could show you a few tricks he doesn’t know.” Geirolf put his arms around her waist and buried his face into her hair at the back of her head, inhaling its scent.

Loki stood quickly from his stool, kicking it out of his way behind him and sending it crashing into a nearby table. Before he could do more, Angela’s head moved forward then flew back hard into Geirolf’s face, quickly followed by the stool she had been sitting on being kicked back with her legs as she jumped up , knocking the drunken, unsteady Geirolf off his feet. Gierolf lay on the bar floor, face down, stunned. Before he could recover, Angela grabbed a knife from a nearby empty plate and plunged it into his backside through his jeans.

“How’s that for a piece of ass?” she asked mockingly before stepping on his back as she walked over him towards the door. Angela stopped and turned to look over her shoulder at Loki and Valkyrie who both stood speechless, “Let’s go.” she said moving towards the exit.

Loki and Valkyrie walked past Geirolf still lying on the floor, cursing. As they made their way past him, he reached back and pulled the knife from his rear end, tossing it aside as his friends arrived and grabbed his arms, helping him to stand.

***************************************

Outside the tavern, Angela walked a few steps ahead of Loki, Valkyrie trailing behind him.

“I could have dealt with that miscreant. Are you alright?” Loki said as he caught up with Angela, sounding a little irritated that he was denied a fight. Angela continued walking, appearing unperturbed.

“I’m fine. I’m not totally helpless.”

“Obviously not.” Loki replied. Angela suddenly came to a halt turning towards Loki. Valkyrie stopped behind them, looking on.

“If there are people after me, from around here, from elsewhere….it’s going to be more than a bar fight against a drunken slob. I can deal with those no matter what planet they’re from. I’m not some damsel in distress. Your mother said to protect me….protect me by teaching me to protect myself! Teach me what you know,” Angela turned and looked at Valkyrie, “What you both know!”

“I’m afraid that would take more than a mortal’s lifetime, more than many mortals’, and in the case of my particular talents it’s not something just anyone can learn.” Loki answered.

“To learn it all, yes, but there are things you can teach me now.”

“She’s right.” Valkyrie said, looking at Loki who stood quietly for a moment, contemplating.

“Alright then. We start in the morning.” Loki said, looking into Angela’s determined eyes then to Valkyrie.

“I’ll be there. Until then.” Valkyrie turned and walked back the way they’d come.

Angela stepped towards Loki and unexpectedly embraced him. Again he felt that same peace come over him as his muscles relaxed, the fire still burning in him from Geirolf’s insults snuffed out. As he returned her embrace, he felt a stirring in his brain, as if he had forgotten something and his mind was struggling to recall it, as well as a slight twinge of pain in his skull. He put a hand to the back of her head, sliding his fingers into her hair.

“Ow.” Angela exclaimed.

“Sorry.” Loki quickly moved his hand off the back of her head.

“It’s ok. You people have heads like a stone wall.” Angela stated, Loki smiling at the observation. Angela began to laugh as she ended the embrace.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.

“Did I really just stab an Asgardian in the ass?” she laughed.

“Yes. Yes, you most certainly did.” Loki answered, grinning.


	4. Chapter 4

Dawn had barely broken and already Loki, Valkyrie and Angela were preparing for the first day’s lessons in the backyard. Valkyrie was wearing a white bodysuit and had brought Angela a similar garb in blue. Loki also appeared to be wearing Earth style gym clothing, of course in his signature black. Various weapons and shields, some real, some wooden for training purposes, lay nearby on the ground.

“First things’ first, you need to learn defense. You may not always get a chance to strike the first blow. You could be taken by surprise. You always try to avoid that, but it happens. Always look for your advantage.” Valkyrie instructed. Angela nodded. She watched Valkyrie’s lesson intently on various defensive maneuvers and patiently allowed her to guide her arms and legs in slow motion through several different blocks.

“Good. I think you’re-” without warning, Valkyrie kicked her leg out towards Angela’s midsection, “ready!” Angela threw up a block but not quite in time and found herself knocked a few feet from Valkyrie to the ground. Loki winced, fighting back the urge to interfere, “Or maybe not.” Angela began to pick herself up off the ground, “That’s what I’m talking about.” Valkyrie said, extending a hand and assisting Angela the rest of the way back on her feet. “Ready to give it another go?”

Angela nodded, her face having taken on an expression Loki hadn’t seen before, an almost evil looking grin, a matching twinkle in her eyes. Valkyrie came at her again, this time with her fists. Angela blocked each attempt at a blow, moving back as Valkyrie continued to advance towards her. Valkyrie swept her leg up and across in a move akin to martial arts. Angela ducked under it and then blocked the next set of blows of Valkyrie’s fists before Valkyrie stood down.

“That was pretty good for a beginner. You sure you’ve never done this before?” Valkyrie asked, looking impressed.

“How would I know?” Angela replied.

“Oh, right.” Valkyrie walked over and picked up something wrapped in a blue cloth off the ground to the side of Loki. Unwrapping it she exposed a short sword, a Dragonfang, her weapon from her time as a Valkyrie warrior.

Loki took a step forward and put an arm out taking hold of Valkyrie’s.

“I’m not sure she’s ready for that quite yet. We’re just getting started.” Loki said in a low voice, looking unnerved.

“We don’t know how much time we have. So….this is the accelerated course.” Valkyrie shrugged.

“Don’t forget, she’s a mortal.”

“Whoever or whatever is looking for her most likely won’t be.” Valkyrie said, her voice hard and serious.

“That will make little difference if you kill her on the first day!” Loki said heatedly.

“So when should I kill her? The tenth day? Twelfth maybe?” Loki looked flustered at Valkyrie’s response realizing his error in wording.

Valkyrie pulled herself from Loki’s grip and stepped back towards Angela. Valkyrie picked up another sword from the ground and handed it to her. Valkyrie and Angela stared each other down for a moment before Valkyrie went in for the attack with her sword. Angela took a jump back but wasn’t fast enough to keep distance between her and Valkyrie and was forced to use her own sword to defend herself. Loki watched in amazement as she successfully did so for quite a few moments, far longer than he had expected. Finally, however, Valkyrie got the advantage and knocked Angela to the ground with a blow on the head from the hilt. She looked down at Angela who had pushed herself up with her arms and was now holding herself up with one arm while rubbing the side of her head.

“Not bad.” Valkyrie said to Angela then turned to Loki, tossing her sword to him which he caught by the hilt, “See, still alive.”

Angela raised herself to her feet. As Valkyrie stood with her back to her facing Loki she raced up behind her and with a sweep of her leg knocked Valkyrie off her feet. Valkyrie raised herself up on her arms.

“I guess we can skip that lesson.” said Valkyrie.

“Always look for your advantage, right?” Angela said with a satisfied grin.

As Valkyrie rose to her feet, a large, sparkling, crackling ring of light appeared a few feet from them. Dr. Strange stepped out into the grass as the portal behind him disappeared. He looked at the three standing in front of him and then at the weapons arranged on the ground nearby.

“Looks like I’ve interrupted the latest episode of Norwegian Gladiators.” Strange said with sarcasm.

“Just a little self defense training.” Valkyrie said, brushing herself off.

“Hopefully the first lesson was defending her back. Some find that an irresistible target.” Strange replied, looking over at Loki.

“What do you want, wizard?” Loki asked impatiently as he scowled.

“All my contacts have come up empty on a positive identification for our new friend. According to every database known to exist on this planet, she doesn’t exist.”

“How can that be possible?” Valkyrie asked bewildered. Angela looked troubled.

“I also had an old friend of mine run an analysis on the clothes she was wearing the night she was found. As I suspected, it wasn’t sea water. It contained a mixture of water, electrolytes, proteins, and carbohydrates. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was some sort of amniotic fluid.”

“Amniotic-?” Valkyrie started to question.

Suddenly the ground shook as a fireball erupted into the sky in the distance, visible above the roof of a house a few down from their location, which was followed a split second later by the thunderous boom of an explosion. They all turned their heads instinctively in that direction.

“What the hell? The docks! Damn!” Valkyrie took off running, followed by the others.

The four ran down the sidewalk towards the docks, dodging Asgardians and a few mortals who stood frozen in shock, looking towards the direction of the explosion. As they reached the docks, they saw one of the two large fishing boats that had not gone out yet that day in flames, thick, black and gray smoke billowing into the sky. Other Asgardians were rushing to the site, three men who had been on the ship, obviously injured but moving and alive, were being pulled back towards shore by rescuers after being thrown into the sea from the explosion.

An older Asgardian man lay on the concrete near the dock, impaled in his side by a chunk of wood, raising an arm helplessly. Valkyrie ran towards him, the others following. Valkyrie came to a skidding stop by the side of the injured man and fell to her knees beside him, taking his hand.

“Vidar! Hold on! Stay with us! Help Is coming.” Valkyrie pleaded with the injured man. Blood pooled on the concrete from his wound. “How many were on that boat?”

“Four of us. We were doing an inspection, like you told us to, getting her ready to take out.” Vidar answered through gritted teeth, obviously suffering from extreme pain.

The sound of a boat engine approached on the water. Suddenly gunfire came from the same direction. They all looked away from Vidar to see a speedboat with four men in it, one driving, three armed, spraying bullets towards the docks and the shore. Asgardians and the few mortals among them ducked for cover. Loki pushed Angela to the ground, shielding her. Dr. Strange moved swiftly in front of Vidar and conjured a large mandala shield in front of himself, Vidar and the others as he turned his head to look at Loki.

“Friends of yours?”

“The Order of Jörmungandr.” Valkyrie growled.

“Stay down.” Loki told Angela as he swiftly moved off down towards the water.

The three armed men in the speedboat continued to fire their weapons towards the shore of New Asgard as the fourth man steered. A clanging, metallic sound came from the engine right before it began to die, smoke beginning to pour from it.

“What the hell’s going on, Alex?” The armed man closest to the motor turned his head in the motor’s direction. Suddenly the driver jumped up, almost capsizing the boat, as a humongous snake undulated over the side of the vessel.

“Holy shit!” the driver exclaimed, pushing past the others, diving into the water. The gunfire stopped as all three men remaining on the boat turned their heads to see the snake making its way towards them, jaws open wide displaying its fangs.

“Shoot it!” One of the armed men cried out. All three men started spraying bullets at the snake, turning their boat into Swiss cheese as the bullets passed through the snake before it vanished as sea water began filling the boat.

“I thought you liked snakes.” the three assailants heard a voice say. Loki stood at the other end of the boat, wet from the sea. He reached out and grabbed the nearest gunman only a couple feet from him, twisting his head and breaking his neck with a snap. The other two gunmen raised their weapons but before they could pull the triggers Loki sent daggers flying into each one’s throat. The men dropped their guns, grabbing at their throats, making gurgling, choking sounds before falling dead in the bottom of the boat.

“All too easy.” Loki said with a satisfied grin.

On the shore, Valkyrie stood waiting with two Asgardian men. Loki walked out of the water, holding the survivor by the throat with one hand as the man kicked and choked, frantically trying to loosen Loki’s grip. Upon reaching Valkyrie, he triumphantly threw the man, coughing and sputtering, at her feet. The two Asgardians with Valkyrie grabbed the man by the arms and dragged him away. Valkyrie and Loki turned and headed back towards Angela and Dr. Strange.

“Do you always play with your victims? You’re like a cat.” Valkyrie asked.

Loki flipped his wet hair back with a jerk of his head, reveling in his victory. He turned and started to walk backwards away from Valkyrie towards the others, a mischievous grin on his face, his eyes twinkling, holding his arms out.

“Everyone needs their little pleasures.”

*************************************

A middle aged Odin, his blond hair and beard tinged with gray, sat flanked by Einherjar guards on the throne of Asgard. Cauldrons burned around the expansive and ornate throne room, the gold throughout reflecting the light and glistening. A somewhat younger looking Frigga made her way gracefully towards the throne, looking displeased and troubled. Odin took notice of her expression.

“My Queen. What troubles you?” Odin addressed her as she came closer.

“I cannot countenance such cruelty.” she spoke, only half succeeding at tempering her anger.

“Of what cruelty does my Queen judge me guilty?” he responded in an even tone.

“You know exactly the cruelty of which I speak! Sending that poor child into exile, breaking your own son’s heart. He’s shattered! He has so few friends as it is. He knows he’s different, he knows he’s not like others. How could you rip away from him the one closest to his heart, the only one that was able to give him peace and comfort! Do you wish him to hate you?”

“They made their choice.” Odin stated matter-of-factly.

“But the child is innocent.”

“The sins of the parents are often visited on their children. It has always been so. They should have thought of the child. Would you have me separating children from their parents in order to soothe your own? I was betrayed by one of those closest to me. Now we are at war. Lives will be lost on both sides. That could not go unpunished. Lest you forget, we had been friends since we were boys. A good king must put his personal feelings aside.”

“A good king also admits his faults.” Frigga replied, “You are not blameless yourself.”

“If he had followed my command it would have ended this war before it started and saved many lives. That blood is on his hands.”

“And what of your son? What of Loki?” Frigga asked.

“He is young, he will forget. He will make other friends.” Odin replied.

‘Forget? Loki? Not likely.’ Frigga thought. However, she knew when her husband’s mind was made up. Without another word to Odin she turned and began to walk away towards the entrance to the throne room.

“Frigga, my Queen!” Odin called after her. She stopped and turned to face Odin once again, sorrow and frustration evident in her expression. Odin’s voice changed to a gentle, fatherly tone, “Tell our son... tell him I grieve with him his loss.”

“Should you not tell him yourself? Must I always be your messenger?” Frigga replied in a steely voice, her expression hard before turning her back to Odin once again and making her exit.

*************************************

A dark haired boy lay on his bed, his eyes red, his face streaked with tears, sniffling. He had obviously worn himself out from grief. The room was richly furnished as was the canopied bed, obviously the room of a young prince, but it had been torn asunder. Broken toys littered the floor, stuffed animals lay ripped open, their stuffing pulled out, a chair and table overturned.

Frigga entered the room and looked sadly and lovingly at the boy on the bed. Her eyes welled with tears witnessing his pain. She moved gracefully to his bedside, avoiding the detritus on the floor and sat down, putting a comforting hand on his chest.

“Loki…” she said softly.

“Mother!” the boy rose quickly and hugged his mother tightly, desperately, as he began to sob.

“I’m so sorry.”

“I hate him! I hate father!” Loki exclaimed vehemently.

“You know that’s not true.”

“But it is! I hate him! I’ll hate him for the rest of my life!” Loki cried. Frigga looked pained at Loki’s exclamations of hatred towards Odin.

“All will be well. For all that is lost, new are found.” Frigga allowed the boy to sob in her arms for a few more moments before moving him away from her, gently gripping his shoulders and laying him back on the bed, “Loki, my son, do you trust me?” Frigga asked in a gentle voice. Loki nodded silently, “Then do exactly what I ask. Close your eyes, relax.” Loki did as he was told, “That’s it. Good.” Frigga gently placed the palm of her right hand onto Loki’s forehead, closing her eyes in concentration, “Forget…..” she said softly.

Loki’s young body relaxed as if drugged and lay still and quiet. She removed her hand from his forehead and looked down on him lovingly but with sadness. She stood and pulled a blanket over his sleeping form before gently kissing him on the forehead.

*************************************

Alex, the lone survivor among those who had attacked New Asgard, sat on the other side of a table opposite Valkyrie in a small room at the jail as she questioned him. Two intimidating Asgardian men stood on either side of her. Valkyrie glared at Alex as he nervously shifted in his seat.

“It wasn’t their idea. We came up with it. They don’t care what we do, they just want to keep you off balance, distracted, then they can take what they want.”

“They. Who is they? And what do they want?”

“I’m not saying anything else. I want a lawyer.” Alex said, trying to sound tough.

“You’re a terrorist. No one cares what we do to people like you. We’re a sovereign state. We don’t have to follow Norwegian law.”

“Threaten me all you want, I’m not talking.”

“Well…if you won’t talk to me….” Valkyrie gestured to the muscular man standing at her side nearest the door. He reached over and opened it. Behind the door stood the Kronan, Korg who stepped into the room. Alex looked up at the tall man of rocks in awe.

“Oh…shit…” he breathed, “What the hell is that?”

“I’m a Kronan!” Korg said brightly. A small pebble rolled off of Korg onto the floor, “Whelp, guess I just don’t have it together today, do I?” Korg chuckled. Valkyrie, rolled her eyes and put her face in her palm. She’d hadn’t meant for Korg to speak, merely to look intimidating, “So what were you doin’? A revolution? Done that a couple times myself. Only one worked out, though.”

“Revo-? No….we just want our fishing lanes back. You guys are killin’ us out there. Those blue ice men, they really hate you though. Said some guy living here named Looki or something killed their king a few years back, tried to blow up their planet. Said you stole something that powered their planet then you blew it up. And you call me a terrorist. Now they’re looking for their back up generator I guess, said you guys are sitting right on it. Told us they’d help us if we helped them. Not a huge fan of aliens myself, got enough problems on this planet without ’em, but sounded like a fair deal.”

“Oh...ok, man. Thanks!” Korg replied. Valkyrie sat speechless.

“No problem.” Alex said to Korg, then reflected for a second. “Damn.”

*************************************

Angela sat in the yard tossing a wooden dagger into the air and catching it, trying to catch it by the handle each time. She thought she was getting pretty good at it. Loki came out of the back door carrying two glasses that looked to be filled with tea. Angela rose to her feet.

“What took so long?” Angela asked as she tossed the wooden dagger up into the air.

“I thought we could use a drink.” Loki said, handing a small glass over to Angela. He caught the dagger by the handle in his now free hand and began to toss it himself.

“Like an energy drink or something?” Angela took a drink from the glass, Loki took a sip from his, watching her over the rim, still tossing the faux dagger and catching it with his other hand without even glancing at it.

“Something like that.” Loki answered.

“What is this? It’s good. There’s no booze in it, is there?” Angela asked suspiciously.

“No, no booze.” Loki answered, still eyeing her as she took another drink.

Loki lowered his glass as he saw her eyes begin to go blank as she stared straight ahead. Dropping the dagger to the ground he took the glass from her hand, setting it on the ground along with his own before putting an arm behind her back, easing her to the ground to lay in the grass. “Just an old family recipe.”

*************************************

Angela felt as if she were floating in a warm sea in complete darkness. It was a pleasant sensation . Every fiber of her body felt relaxed. Suddenly a bright flash of light broke through the darkness above her, what looked like stardust spreading out, as if she were witnessing the creation of the universe or some astral phenomenon.

“Reach out...” she heard Loki’s voice say but couldn’t see him or pinpoint his location. It seemed to echo from every direction. She reached her hand out in the darkness towards the galaxy of stars. Her hand seemed to merge with it, become a part of it as if her arm was covered in it. She could feel a sort of electric charge making its way down it. She started to feel anxious as it spread over her, as if she were being swallowed by it, and began to tense, her heart rate rising. The same electric charge was now spreading throughout her body.

“Loki?” she called out uncertainly.

“Have no fear. No harm will come to you. Feel that energy, that power flowing within you. Allow it to become one with you. Don’t resist it.” Loki’s voice was calming and soothing. Angela did as Loki instructed, her heart rate slowing back to normal.

“Now, picture something in your hand, see it, feel it. Direct all that energy there.” Angela pictured a glittering crystal. It threw off rainbows of light. It appeared to form out of the black starry substance.

“Good. Try something else.” Angela closed her hand around the crystal. She opened her hand to reveal a butterfly, folding and unfolding its wings. It finally flew off her hand and disappeared in a quick flash of light.

“This is what you use, this energy, to create illusions, form but no substance. It surrounds us, you only need know how to access it, to reach through in your mind and draw it into our own plane. It was easier the first time to bring you here this way. Soon you’ll be able to do it on your own. You only needed the door opened for you. I’m going to bring you out now. Reach out your hand.”

Angela reached her hand out and felt another hand take hold of hers. She felt herself being pulled forward, the velvet blackness and stardust shimmer fading into a white light as her eyes began to focus and perceive sunlight and the sky above. Turning her head to the left she saw Loki on his knees beside her, still gripping her hand. He rose, assisting her to her feet. Feeling a bit woozy, she stumbled, Loki taking hold of her shoulders, steadying her.

“It’s alright. I’ve got you. Take your time. I was unsure whether it would be effective for a mortal. I had to estimate the correct dosage. I may have overdone it somewhat.”

“Don’t take that stuff to the bar. You’ll get yourself in trouble.” Angela said, putting her palm to her forehead, her head still feeling slightly fuzzy and dizzy.

“I’m afraid the necessary ingredient has become too scarce for that. It was native to Asgard. There may be other sources elsewhere in the universe, but not here.”

“There’s probably a lot of things that are lost now, aren’t there? But then, for all that’s lost, new are found.”

Loki looked at Angela with an expression of surprise.

“Where did you hear that?” Loki asked.

“Maybe I read it somewhere. I don’t know. Why?”

“My mother used to say that.” Loki replied.

“Maybe she read the same book.”

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Valkyrie said from behind them. Loki stood with both hands on Angela’s shoulders. He removed them as Valkyrie continued, “We have a situation.”

*************************************

Valkyrie related the information she, or rather Korg, had gleaned from Alex as they sat in the front room of Loki’s house. Loki looked in a state of disbelief, appearing extremely concerned.

“I can only guess by ‘ice men’ he means Frost Giants. It’s the only thing that makes sense. Right where we’re sitting is where your father defeated them when they tried to invade Midgard.”

“Father never mentioned another Casket or anything like it. But how did they get here? They have nothing like the Bifrost. Without the Casket they couldn’t travel off Jotunheim except by ship. Surely they would have been noticed. Someone must be helping them other than the Order of Jormungandr.”

“With Asgard gone, no one to keep order in the realms, who knows what’s going on or what others may be planning now that they have a free hand.” said Valkyrie.

“We have to find them before they discover what it is they’re looking for.” Loki replied.

“Or we find what they’re looking for before they do.” Angela said.

“That could risk leading them right to it. I’ve considered the possibility they may have spies planted here.” Valkyrie replied. She was quiet for a moment, considering whether to voice her next thought to Loki, “I think we should try to contact your brother. This concerns Asgard so it concerns him too.”

“I agree.” Loki said.

“Wait….what?” Valkyrie replied in astonishment.

“I said I agree, providing you’re able to contact him wherever he is gallivanting across the galaxy with those fools.”

“Stephen may be able to. I’ll contact him.”

“However, we should be prepared to deal with this ourselves.” Loki stated.

“We must be cautious. Today may have only been a test. I’ll see if I can get anything more out of Alex before I release him to the Norwegian authorities.” Valkyrie stood up, “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Valkyrie let herself out. As soon as the door closed behind her, Loki jumped up and paced the room, agitated.

“Frost Giants….damn them!”

“You killed their king?” Angela asked, shocked.

“Yes...and I took every pleasure in doing it.” Loki replied, “Thor should have allowed me to end every last one of them. I tried. Despicable creatures! If they have their way they’ll freeze this entire planet and use it as their playground.”

“Well...from what I understand, you sort of did the same thing…minus the freezing.” Angela said.

“I had quite different and far more benevolent intentions for the people of Midgard than they do. Trust me.”

Angela stood up and walked over to Loki, placing a hand comfortingly on his arm. Once again, Loki’s fire dimmed, his muscles relaxing.

“How about some music?” Angela said before walking over to a cabinet along the wall. On top sat an old record player, a box of dusty looking records next to it, “I found these in the basement. I’ve been wanting to see if it still works.” Angela opened the top of the record player and rifled through the box of records which were a mix of American and European artists. Removing one, she stared at it for a few seconds in silence. It was David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust.

“I ….I remember this one…..I bought it when it first came out. I had the man who delivered our supplies get it for me.” Loki looked over at her from where he was standing, brooding as he continued to contemplate what Valkyrie had told them.

“You remember…..?” He could see how old, dusty, and ragged at the edges the record cover was, yet she had said she’d obtained a copy of that same album when it was new.

“Yeah…I loved it. I played it over and over…that’s why he-” Angela went silent. In her mind the image flashed of a man much older than herself. He was angry, screaming…the record torn from her grip, smashed against a table, shattering, “He broke it.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know. He hated him for pretending to be from space. I told him it was just an act, like theater.” She turned on the record player and put the album on, playing the first song, a crackling coming through the speakers before the song “Lady Stardust” began to play, the sound of the intro piano chords strange, yet beautiful.

“This one….this was my favorite…it reminded me of something…someone….and her….when I was a little girl…I called her that...Lady Stardust...when she left….it was like stardust….” Angela reminisced.

Loki looked at Angela, troubled and curious. Something was nagging at him, but he couldn’t define exactly what it was. It was as if his own memory had a blank spot within it he was fighting to recall.

“Dance with me...I never had anyone to dance with.” Angela said as the song continued.

“I’m afraid I don’t-” Loki said, looking unsure.

“Don’t worry, neither do I.” she answered.

Angela wrapped her arms around Loki, laying her head against his shoulder, swaying to the music. He tried to follow her example. It was simple enough, he thought.

Suddenly, flashes of memories started to explode in Loki’s brain. Dizzy and disoriented, a sharp pain like a migraine shot through his head. Loki grimaced, squeezing his eyes closed. The feeling of her pressed against him, that feeling of comfort and calm now triggered even more memories. Angela didn’t seem to notice, her head on his shoulder.

After the onslaught of images...himself as a child, a girl with him, play acting, laughing, playing pranks, running through the halls of the palace on Asgard, rolling down a hill of flowers, hiding behind trees and running through the woods...memories and feelings at lighting speed, Loki’s brain began to put them together, sorting them, making sense of it all as if putting together a puzzle. His eyes still closed, his head spinning, he felt lips press against his. A simple, innocent kiss, like from a child or a young girl kissing someone for the first time.

As the song and the kiss ended, Loki opened his eyes, staring at Angela as she looked back at him. He slid his fingers into her hair at the sides of her head, feeling the silky strands. She hadn’t planned the kiss, the urge had just overtaken her with the fulfillment of so many years of wanting someone, anyone, to dance with, to feel that close to someone. Had she made a misstep? Even under his usually cool exterior, she knew there was a volatile side to Loki, she could almost physically feel it.

Loki’s lips finally moved to form a single, breathless word. A name...one that he had not uttered in many, many centuries.

“Sigyn….”


	5. Chapter 5

Alex, wearing a plain prison type jumpsuit, sat in the back of a police van, shackled, looking forlorn and nervous as the van bounced along the road only a few miles outside New Asgard. They were still pretty far from any large city. The countryside lay untouched by human hands for the most part. Large rocks seemed to sprout up out of the ground here and there.

He was contemplating that he might actually be safer in jail, as strange as that sounded. He'd said too much and he knew it. He hadn't meant to, they'd tricked him into it! That damn Kronan…he was just so affable, so easy to talk to. Alex had totally forgotten his situation. Maybe Kronans had some sort of mind control ability or something, he wasn't sure. He just knew no matter what his balls were in a vice.

Without warning the police van came to a sudden, violent stop as if it had run into a tree. Alex was belted in but that didn't prevent him from lurching hard to the side and striking his head against the wall of the van.

"What the hell….?" He asked aloud to no one. There were no windows he could see out of to tell what was going on in front of the van. Gunfire and shouts erupted outside. Alex heard the metallic sound of bullets striking the van as bullet holes began to appear in its side. Alex tried to cover his head, lift his shackled feet up, roll into a ball to avoid the bullets, though he didn't know what direction they were coming from and if he was in their line of fire.

The gunfire finally stopped, silence descending. He heard footsteps walking around the van towards the back doors. Sweat ran down his face, his mouth hanging open, as he waited in terror. With a loud crunching and clanging sound, the back doors of the van weren't just opened, but physically wrenched from the van and tossed aside. Sunlight streamed into the van as Alex gaped at the opening.

Two men with semi-automatic rifles stood looking in at him and in between them, a huge, blue "ice man." The "ice man" glared at him before reaching in, grabbing Alex by the front of his jumpsuit and forcefully, violently tearing him out of his seat, Alex's body ripping through the seat belt as he cried out in terror.

The frost giant threw Alex to the ground a few feet from the back of the van. One of the armed men stepped up beside him and aimed his gun down at him as he lay on the ground, still shackled and helpless. He attempted to scoot himself with his shoulders and feet away but made little progress.

"You runnin' your mouth? What'd you tell them?" The armed man asked menacingly.

"N-n-n-othing...Nothing! Nothing, I swear! Nothing important! Please! I swear!"

"Not what we heard. Heard you sang like a canary. Maybe even threw in a few things they didn't ask about for free."

"N-n-no. Who told you that? They're lying! They're lying! They're…"Alex's voice cracked and he broke down in terrified sobs, shaking his head, writhing on the ground.

"You broke the code, Alex. Broke it big time, man. You know what that means, right?"

Alex now lay on his side on the ground in a fetal position, his eyes squeezed shut. He nodded, whimpering. The armed man who spoke to Alex looked from him to the other armed man and nodded. The second armed man lowered his weapon and let it hang from a strap on his back and bent down, grabbing Alex by the back of his jumpsuit and hauled him up, dragging him over to a nearby rock sticking out of the ground about three feet. Alex's body had gone limp. The gunman positioned Alex on his knees with his head laying sideways on the rock. The frost giant strode up carrying a huge ax that looked like it was made of light bluish crystal or ice. It was obviously heavy and clearly sharp. The giant raised the axe over his head before bringing it down.

Another man looking to be in his mid 30s, his hair pure white and sporting a white suit walked up beside the frost giant examining the Jotun's handiwork with a scowl.

"So….we just gonna leave 'em here?" one of the armed men asked.

"It's a much more concise message than the ones you've been sending." The man in the white suit said, "They know about you now, but no matter." the man in the suit said to the frost giant, "It won't change anything. I've waited so long for this, to see Asgard on its knees. We'll all get what we want."

************************************

Inside a cell in the dungeons of Asgard sat a woman around the same age as Frigga appearing forlorn. She wore a simple Asgardian dress, belted in the middle. Her hair, wavy and white, her skin a fair ivory. She looked up with her blue tear filled eyes at Frigga who stood before her.

"I did everything I possibly could. His mind is made up. I only have so much influence. There's nothing more I can do. I'm sorry." Frigga told her sadly. The woman nodded in disappointment, hanging her head.

"I don't understand. You could have adopted her. They get along so well. I even thought maybe someday…" The woman stopped and took a shaky breath, "She would have been happy here, even without us. We'd hoped to raise her knowing both worlds but when Loriel usurped the throne, the purges started. They've murdered every other half Asgardian child on Heven along with their parents. There's no reason to think they'll let her live wherever Odin would exile us. I would gladly have taken the axe if it meant she would remain here and safe."

"I was able to convince him to allow me to disguise both of you. The effects will be permanent as long as you remain on Midgard. Physically there will be nothing that will draw their attention if they do come looking for her. He's also agreed not to render you mortal. You'll live out your full lives, though that will make things more difficult for you."

"Thank you, for all you've done for us. You've always been such a good friend to me." said Lailah. Frigga smiled before her image faded away, leaving Lailah alone in her cell.

************************************

Angela froze upon hearing the name 'Sigyn.' Her eyes grew wide, her lips moved as if she were trying to speak but was unable to make a sound. Hearing her true name acted as the key to her memory. A look of recognition, total recognition, came over her as she finally found her voice again.

"Loki….you….you set Sif's hair on fire!" she spoke as if she were just waking from a dream.

"That was a complete accident. How was I to know she'd put Neidrun oil in it?" Loki replied.

Loki, as if he had reverted to the young boy he once was, pulled Sigyn to him, wrapping his arms around her tightly before picking her up off the floor, laughing with joy, as he spun her around and around.

"Loki! Loki! Stop! Put me down!" Sigyn squealed, laughing. Loki made a few more spins before setting her back on her feet. Exuberant, he took her head between his hands once again.

"I never thought I'd ever see you again! I tried to stop them! They pulled you right out of my arms! It took two full grown Einherjar to hold me back! I must have torn the palace apart that day! They had to lock me away in my room!" Loki exclaimed.

"I tried to fight them, to get back to you! I thought they were going to kill me! I had no idea what was happening!" Recalling the trauma, Sigyn began to cry as if she were again the confused and scared young girl she had been that day. She threw herself into Loki's arms, sobbing. Picking her up in his arms, Loki carried her to the couch and sat cradling her.

"We were sent here to Midgard. It wasn't like Asgard at all. Everything was so different. I was so scared." Sigyn began her story, calling up the past in her newly restored memory, "We would stay in a place for awhile, sometimes a couple of years, but then we'd have to move again. We did that for centuries….just roaming, always moving. We finally ended up on a small island. No one else lived there. My father had started drinking by then, more and more. He used up what little money we had on drink. We barely had enough to eat. He would beat my mother, sometimes me too. Then one day, mother was gone...just gone. She never came back. I didn't know what happened to her. Father forbid me to talk about her.

"We remained on the island. Father made things for people, did odd jobs on the mainland. He would have what we needed delivered on a boat. He wouldn't let me leave. He said it was too dangerous, that I was safe there. I started to believe that maybe Asgard had been a child's fantasy, that I had imagined it all. Your mother had not visited for a very long time, not since I was a little girl. I think my father told her to stop. I thought I had imagined her too or she had been a dream. Once we moved to the island I rarely saw anyone else.

"Then radios were invented, television, records, machines to play movies. Music was one of my few pleasures. I would have the people that delivered our supplies bring me records, sometimes my father when he went to the mainland would bring them back for me. I listened and watched, learned about the world...how people talked, how they dressed, what they did. My father got more violent. He was always angry. One day, I had been outside doing chores. When I came back inside, the television was smashed. I only found out later that was when you were in New York. He didn't want me to see or hear anything about you or Thor.

"Not long before he died, he told me about Heven and Loriel, how she killed those children, the ones like me. He told me that's why Odin had sent me to Midgard with them, because of the war. I was too dangerous to keep on Asgard. If the Angels invaded and came for me, they might have taken you or Thor and killed you too. He told me someday they might find me. He was teaching me how to fight, what he knew anyway. He had been a diplomat, not a warrior. One day I found his body at the bottom of the cliffs on the far side of the island. It was one of the few things that could kill us.

"After my father died, I began to leave the island. Just for a short amount of time in the beginning. Geirolf wasn't the first drunk running his mouth and getting touchy that I've ever dealt with. But even going out in the world, I couldn't have friends, it was too dangerous. I didn't know who might be one of them. Father told me they could make themselves look just like other people. I decided to leave the island for good. I used up all the money father had left. I slept wherever I could, sometimes I went days without food but I didn't dare ask anyone for help.

"Back before father smashed the television, I used to watch movies and dream about being able to do all the things they did. Before tonight, I'd never danced with anyone….I'd never kissed anyone, I've never made love..."

"Oh my, surely that's a problem in search of a solution." Loki teased in a dramatic tone. Sigyn turned her head to look up at him with an expression of feigned annoyance but with a slight grin at the corners of her mouth. Loki looked away and pretended to clear his throat, putting his fist up to his mouth before Sigyn continued her story.

"I didn't find out what happened in New York, that you'd been there, until long after. I couldn't believe it was you, not the Loki I knew. I wondered what could have possibly happened to you for you to do such a thing. They said Thor had taken you back home, that you would face Asgard justice. I was afraid of what that meant. I didn't see how Odin would have any choice but to execute you. If he exiled you back here as a mortal, they'd execute you. Either way, you were probably long dead. Something in me died too. I just didn't care anymore. When they finally found me, I think maybe a part of me wanted them to. I barely put up a fight, not that it would have mattered if I had."

"How is it that you're here now and a mortal?" Loki asked perplexed.

"They took me back to Heven...that's where I died."

"Died?" Loki asked, astonished.

"Angels know how to make mortal bodies. They're just shells, they have no consciousness, but they know how to transfer their essence into them and back. They use them as spies here on earth, sometimes to manipulate events. They have spies in other realms, all over the universe. Frigga altered my looks with her magic but not my genes. My mother knew how to use them to make bodies. She had made a deal with them. If they would leave me alone, she would return and help them. She was one of only a few that knew how to do it and they needed her. After Frigga died, she came to my mother, they planned the whole thing. My mother knew Loriel wouldn't keep her end of the bargain. She waited for them to find me. She knew they would bring me back. They wouldn't risk killing me and leaving my body here. Mortals might discover what I was, find out about them. When they slayed me, Frigga was waiting. She came to me, my essence, after it left my body and led me to another place, then I was put into this body and my mother sent me here to you. She knew it wouldn't take them long to find out what happened. I would need help."

"But if you're mortal now, why do they care?"

"Because of who I am and also what I know..." Sigyn closed her eyes, appearing to be concentrating and held out her empty hand and closed it into a fist for a moment then opened it, revealing a crystal lying in her palm that looked like the one she had formed earlier during Loki's lesson on illusions. It glittered in the light and threw off rainbows of colors, "...and because I have this."

************************************

"Bitched stabbed me in the ass!" Geirolf whined. Geirolf's truck was parked in the darkness off the road in front of the large white sign that said "Welcome to New Asgard," the sound of the waves of the sea lapping the shore could be heard in the distance. He was standing a few feet in front of the truck, talking to the man in the white suit.

"I'm sure that's inconvenient in your line of work of sitting at the bar." the man in the white suit said dryly.

"Hey, you want info, all the dirt around town, that's the best place to get it."

"And she's still there. She hasn't left town?"

"She's holed up with her keeper still, far as I know. Probably cuts her meat for her too. Last house on the main street there, down a ways. You got any more jobs for me?

"Not for the moment. Thank you for your services." The man in the white suit said.

"Well?" Geirolf asked.

"Well, what?" the man replied. Geirolf put his hand out.

"Oh….yes. Payment."

"Been saving up for my own boat. This should about put me over the top." Geirolf explained.

"I have it right here." Suddenly, a large blue hand grabbed Geirolf from behind. He struggled for a few seconds before his body froze solid. The frost giant dropped the corpse to the ground and walked around it. The man in the white suit looked down at Geirolf's remains without emotion, "Paid in full."

************************************

Loki lay stretched out on the couch, Sigyn lying on her side beside him dozing, her arm draped over him, worn out from the emotions of the evening and the hours they'd just spent reminiscing, filling in the blanks, the events of his childhood after her exile, Thor's banishment and Loki's part in it, his fall from the Bifrost (a favorite tale of his), his alliance with Thanos and New York, the dungeons, the Dark Elves, his stint on the throne, Sakaar, Hela, Surtur and the destruction of Asgard. She had grieved at the news of the deaths of Fandral, Volstagg, and Hogun. They had often chided and teased Loki, which she loathed, but she had still enjoyed many good times with them. Loki had wrapped one arm protectively around her, another resting on the side of her head, his fingers in her hair. Another record was spinning on the record player. 

Loki did not sleep, he knew danger could come calling at any moment especially after Valkyries revelations earlier that evening and that the calm they now enjoyed was deceptive, but lay with his eyes closed, relaxed and relishing the quiet that he knew could not last. He hadn't felt this content, this peaceful in as long as he could remember. He had told Thor once that satisfaction wasn't in his nature, but that had changed from the moment her name had escaped his lips after so many centuries. Though Frigga had hidden his memories of her, they had still been there, buried deep, and he had always subconsciously felt the void she had left in his life.

The next song began to play, a rich, soothing guitar intro lulling him into an almost hypnotic state. With Odin's agreement to leave Midgard to its own fate and curtail the incursion of others, it greatly lacked the magical qualities of the other realms of the branches of Yggdrasil of which it was a part, but its music was almost a worthy replacement. Loki listened to the lyrics, thinking how strangely fitting they were as they spoke of painful hours and the singer's lost love and queen, a thousand years having passed since their separation and the vocalist's questioning if she still remembered him and their time together.

"Tangerine, Led Zeppelin III, October, 1970." Dr. Strange said from a few yards away from the couch.

Loki startling at the unexpected voice opened his eyes, and raised his head from the arm of the couch, turning it towards the source, as Sigyn stirred from her dozing. 

"Wha-?" Sigyn said drowsily. Loki groaned at the sight of Dr. Strange standing in front of an open portal and laid his head back heavily on the arm of the couch.

"Do you ever sleep?" Loki grumbled.

"On occasion, when we're not facing global annihilation." Strange raised an eyebrow, "Getting cozy, I see." Sigyn raised herself off the couch and stumbled sleepily over to the record player, taking the needle off the record and turning it off.

"Not that it's any of your business, but there have been...developments." Loki said sitting up and moving his feet off the couch as Sigyn returned to sit next to him.

"Obviously." Strange replied.

"It's quite a long story…." Loki began as Sigyn turned her head towards him giving him a look as if she suspected he were inferring something by his statement.

"Which is why I'm not retelling it tonight. You're getting the short, short version." Sigyn rose and walked over to Strange holding out her hand, "Hi, I'm Sigyn. Nice to meet you….again."

"And again, and again…" Loki said in annoyance.

Strange looked with curiosity at Sigyn and took her outstretched hand.

"A pleasure."

"Loki and I knew each other on Asgard as children." Sigyn explained.

"Asgard….as children?" Strange repeated, confused.

"As I said, it's a long story." said Loki.

"Out of my way! Where is that insidious snake?" an angry female voice growled from within the portal still open behind Strange.

"Oh! Yeah..…" Strange stepped aside as a female with long brunette hair wearing black pants and boots with a brown leather top, carrying a sword strode through. Spying Loki seated on the couch she marched determinedly towards him. Loki quickly jumped up, putting his hands up in front of him, backing around the couch.

"Sif! It's good to see you...wait….wait….I know….I know….give me a chance to explain….it was for your own-" Sigyn watched with her mouth hanging open as Sif hauled off and punched Loki with her free hand square in the face. Loki was knocked back a few steps, wincing as he recovered from the blow, "-good. Missed you too, Sif." Loki said through his pain. Sif stood menacingly in front of Loki clutching her sword, her face aflame with anger.

"How dare you impersonate the Allfather! You aren't fit to lick his boots let alone wear them! Sending me all over the universe on wild goose chases then exiling me! Maybe if I'd been there…I should relieve you of your head!"

Strange had closed the portal and stood back with his arms crossed, a grin on his face, enjoying the scene.

"If you'd been there, you'd be dead right now! You should be thanking me!" Loki exclaimed. Sif sneered menacingly at Loki, still grasping her sword.

"Sif….he's right. Please, don't hurt him." Sigyn said. Sif turned away from Loki and toward Sigyn, not recognizing the woman speaking to her. She lowered her sword but still appeared ready to gut Loki at any second.

"And who is this? You defend him?"

"I know, it's a full time job. I've been doing it since we were kids. You get used to it after awhile. By the way, your hair grew back in nicely, just like I told you it would."

Sif looked confused for a moment, processing Sigyn's words before recognition crossed her face, the anger fading.

"Sigyn!? But how-you were exiled! We were forbidden to speak of you again!" Sif exclaimed in disbelief, lowering her sword and placing it in the sheath on her back as she approached Sigyn. Sigyn met her halfway, the two embracing, Sigyn's eyes tearing up again.

Sigyn ended the embrace and made her way to Loki, putting a hand to his face and examining where Sif had punched him. She turned her head to look over her shoulder at Sif.

"I know you're angry, and you have reason to be, but you didn't need to do that." Sigyn said.

"That brings back memories…" Sif replied.

"Well...it looks like the band's back together. I guess I'll be going." Strange said from across the room.

"Wait. What about Thor?" Loki asked. Sif turned to Loki, astonished at his query.

"Did I hit you that hard?" Sif asked sarcastically. 

"I'm currently attempting to discern his exact location." Dr. Strange reopened the portal and stepped through, closing it and disappearing.

"So what mischief have you gotten up this time?" Sif asked Loki.

"Oh, nothing much. Just your routine planetary Armageddon." Loki answered. 

************************************

Loki and Sigyn retired for the night, Sif agreeing to keep watch. After getting Sif up to speed on what they knew and didn't know thus far and hearing her story, how after Loki in the guise of Odin had exiled her (aside from Heimdall, she was the one person Loki feared might see through his ruse so of course he had to get her off world) she had worked as a bounty hunter, chasing down wanted criminals throughout the universe. Even an Asgardian needed to eat and eating required currency and acquiring currency necessitated performing some sort of service. Her talents served her well in that vocation. 

At Valkyrie's request, Strange had attempted to track down any Asgardians elsewhere on earth. She had happened to conveniently be in New Orleans at the time, trailing a particularly wily Xandarian, a race that could easily pass for human. When Strange learned of her close connection to Thor and Loki and her animosity towards Loki once she'd learned of his obfuscations and the destruction of her home world, he knew he had to arrange a reunion. With Asgard in danger for a second time, the Xandarian would have to wait.

Loki had waited outside the bedroom door, always the gentleman, for Sigyn to change into her night clothes. Once finished, she opened it, allowing him to enter. It had become their nightly routine. As children they had had many "sleepovers" as the people of Midgard called them. Asgardians were not so hung up on children of different genders doing so or sharing a bed not having endured centuries of heavy handed religious puritanism. Puritanism is not the same as respect for privacy and bodily autonomy, however, or just plain good manners, which especially as a Prince of Asgard Loki had drilled into him from a very young age. 

Loki walked over to the window, as he did every night, even though it had not been tampered with or opened by either of them since the night before, double checking that it was locked as Sigyn watched him.

"You know that's not going to keep Angels out or Jotuns for that matter." she said.

"Just habit." Loki answered. He stood with his back to her, looking out of the window. Sigyn continued watching him for a second, then turned down the covers of the bed. Still standing at the window with his back to her, Loki began to grin. As Sigyn pulled the blankets back, a large arachnid creature, about the size of a dinner plate, skittered towards her from the middle of the bed. Sigyn shrieked in surprise and terror as she jumped back.

The creature disappeared in a flash of light. Sigyn stood breathing heavily, her hand on her chest as her heart raced as she heard Loki's laughter and looked over at him still peering out of the window. Grabbing a pillow off the bed, she threw it at him.

"Jerk! You know I hate those things!" 

"Never gets old." Loki chuckled, turning from the window as a loud knocking came from the closed and locked door.

"Is everything alright?" They heard Sif's voice call out from the other side.

"Yes, we're fine, Sif, thanks."

"The old edder trick, again?" Sif asked, using the Asgardian name of the creature Loki had conjured.

"Afraid so." Sigyn answered.

"You'd think after this long he'd have come up with some new material." Sif said through the door.

"Sorry, didn't mean to worry you." Sigyn called back to Sif. Sif's footsteps moved away from the door and down the stairs.

"The next time you do that…" Sigyn said in annoyance to Loki.

"Oh! A threat! You'll do what, exactly?" Loki asked, still grinning. He picked up the pillow she'd thrown at him off the floor and tossed it back to her, Sigyn placing it back on the bed.

"I don't know. I'll think of something." Sigyn climbed into bed pulling the blankets over her. Loki, following routine, took a few steps towards the cot on the other side of the room, "Where are you going?" Sigyn asked. Loki stopped, turning back to face her.

"To bed?" He said, sounding confused.

"You're going the wrong way." Sigyn threw the covers back on the other side of the bed. Loki looked over towards the cot then back to Sigyn uncertainly.

"Right." Loki said though he remained standing in the same spot.

"What's wrong?" Sigyn said, noticing that Loki seemed unsure, "It's not like we've never slept in the same bed before. We used to all the time."

"We were children..."

"It's a bed. There's plenty of room. No need for you to sleep on that thing. Honestly, I was feeling bad about that even before I remembered."

"If it pleases you." Loki walked the few steps over to the bed and laid down.

Sigyn switched off the lamp. Both lay silent for a moment staring at the ceiling before Loki finally broke the silence.

"When I said….I didn't mean…I wasn't saying...it doesn't have to be...could be anyone..." Loki said, struggling with how exactly to express what he wished to say.

"I know." Sigyn smiled, amused, both falling silent again for a moment.

"Not that you're not…..that I don't…" he stammered, again unsure how to express himself.

"One thing at a time. It's a long list." Sigyn replied.

Sigyn slid closer to Loki, lying on her side facing him and draping an arm around him, her head against his shoulder. Loki moved his arm around her.

"Sweet dreams." she said sleepily. He couldn't envision any dream that would be sweeter than his current waking reality. He sensed her body fully relaxing and knew that she had drifted off. He thought about her story, all that she had been through over so many centuries. It made his past and current grievances, though legitimate of course, seem petty, childish, and yet she was still, for the most part anyway, the same Sigyn he'd known. She certainly hadn't left a major American city in ruins. 'My Sigyn, you deserve worlds and someday I will give them to you!' He thought as he too surrendered to slumber.


	6. Chapter 6

Sif reclined on the couch. She was struggling to stay awake. Usually it wasn’t a problem for her, but after the day, actually after the week she’d had, all her brain wanted to do was shut down and recuperate. She’d bagged three high profile perps in the last five days and was running on fumes.

Loki back from the dead somehow, true death, one he had not faked along with Sigyn’s reemergence…she wasn’t sure things could get any stranger. But then she knew the minute she thought that, she’d be wrong. And what was up with Sigyn and Loki exactly? Were they just friends? Lovers? She couldn’t imagine Loki actually being capable of putting anyone else before himself as such a relationship to be successful necessitates, but then that’s exactly what he’d been trying to do when he died she’d learned. Every Asgardian that now made their home in New Asgard was still alive because he’d done the same before that.

He and Sigyn had been the closest of friends as children so it wouldn’t be any huge surprise if they were. They even used to play act that they were King and Queen of Asgard. She’d heard his command to “kneel” long before the people of Stuttgart. But then she had been about as close with Thor too in those days and nothing had come of it, to her dismay, though she’d never let anyone know just how great that dismay was and how she was a bit secretly pleased when “Odin” had sent her away on various missions off world where she would be away from the people and places that reminded her of it.

She knew Loki was right. She hadn’t needed Sigyn to tell her. If she had been there, she would most certainly be dead. Poor Fandral, Volstagg, and Hogun. Hela had slaughtered all of them in mere seconds without blinking or breaking a sweat. She wished she would have gotten the chance to say her farewells. She knew that they were now at peace in Valhalla where the brave live forever. They had certainly been brave. It did irk her that Loki who had spent much of his life acting the coward had somehow come back and not those she believed were more deserving of a second chance. She told herself that perhaps that’s why he was back, because he needed to learn that which Vostagg, Fandral and Hogun already had known.

She had always cared for Loki as a child. He was Thor’s brother after all so he kind of came with the package, but there had always been something about him that set him apart from everyone else, besides his Jotun origin, though they had of course not known that fact then.

He had always been so damn enthusiastically sure of himself or at least pretended to be. He was certain he was right about nearly everything...and he usually was. He had always been highly intelligent. Too much so for his own good, Sif had thought, but Sigyn was right. She had used Loki as her own personal punching bag on many occasions and she hadn’t needed to do that, she’d wanted to. Perhaps Loki, what he became later, was in part their creation. Maybe somehow they’d instinctively known as children that he wasn’t what he appeared to be.

She had cared for Sigyn though she had never fully understood her, what it was she saw in Loki that they didn’t, her unwavering loyalty, her ability to focus on the good in him over the bad which was the exact opposite of most people, Asgardian or mortal. She had never made enemies of the others by it. She’d had a natural ability to calm everything and everyone down. She was half Angel after all and they were known for their naturally soothing natures, at least they had been, until Loreil’s faction came on the scene who were vain and arrogant. Like a virus it had spread throughout the Angel world. Odin had finally cut them off from the other nine realms. Perhaps someone like Loki, with such storms and conflicts raging inside him, would be particularly affected and drawn to that nature. They had never really thought about it as children though they knew her heritage, she was just Sigyn, the pretty little girl with the fair skin and golden hair.

When she had disappeared from their circle and they had been strictly forbidden from mentioning her again, they had grieved quietly but had moved on. Loki however was a different story. He never mentioned her which shocked them all as he was not one to strictly follow edicts, but he had become more volatile and less the sweet, merely mischievous little boy who wore his heart on his sleeve. She’d never forget the first time he stabbed Thor. It wasn’t long after Sigyn’s exile. His pranks became more mean spirited when previously, though they had sometimes gone wrong as in the case of her hair, they were mostly for laughs and attention.

The only time he seemed content was when he was performing in plays, when he was pretending to be someone other than who he was. He was quite good at it, Sif had always thought, though his own compositions were a bit melodramatic. He had always enjoyed being on stage, the center of attention, play acting, but later, after Sigyn, there was more to it, as if it wasn’t so much for enjoyment now as for escape.

Thor certainly hadn’t helped matters, she knew, with his strutting and preening, acting like the cock of the walk. Thor had held no malice towards his brother, he loved him, but he hadn’t particularly been thinking about him or his feelings. She had for so long chalked Loki’s behavior up to mere jealousy but now she realized perhaps it had been more complicated than that.

Sif sat up. She had heard something or thought she had. At first she thought maybe Loki was playing another one of his old repertoire of pranks on Sigyn, making up for so much lost time, but it had been quiet since she had been to check on them and that was quite awhile ago. Surely they were asleep by now….or maybe not….no, she had no desire to think about that possibility, though that would answer her previous question. The source of this sound was not above, a slight dragging, shuffling sound, and the creaking of old boards. Most likely some sort of vermin she assured herself.

Sif questioned whether she should rouse Loki and Sigyn, ultimately deciding that she could take care of any intruder of the four legged variety in less time than it would take to make the trek upstairs.

Sif stood from the couch and listened again, finally discerning that the sound was coming from the area of the basement door under the stairway. She moved towards it, cautiously creeping along the wall. She listened again, putting her ear up to the door. The noise seemed to have stopped. She listened for a few more seconds before placing her hand slowly and silently on the knob.

As she prepared to turn it the door was busted off its hinges and pushed out of its frame with the sound of wood splintering as it sailed across the room, Sif along with it, crashing into the wall. A frost giant exited the opening, forced to turn his body sideways to make it through the door. Knocked senseless, Sif sat slumped with the door over top of her.

Upstairs, Sigyn and Loki both sat up at the same time, fully awakening upon hearing the crash and jumped out of the bed.

“Stay here!” Loki commanded.

“It’s no safer here! I can fight! I’m not useless!” Sigyn said haughtily. Loki turned his head, looking at her with a teasing grin.

“I think it will take more than stabbing it in the ass.” Loki readied his daggers and left the room, closing the door behind him.

The frost giant clambered his way up the stairs. Loki stood at the end of the hallway in a battle ready stance. The frost giant sneered at him.

“Come no closer, Jotun filth.” Loki addressed the frost giant. The Jotun formed a sword of ice from his arm and charged towards Loki.

As the Jotun reached him, Loki vanished. The Jotun slammed head first into the wall, leaving a large hole in the plaster. Plaster dust and chunks fell away as the Jotun, stumbling, backed up from the wall. From behind the Jotun Sif appeared and thrust her sword through the frost giant. Loki stepped out through the open door of the spare bedroom as the Jotun collapsed face down on the floor.

“Works every time.” Loki walked up and plunged one of his daggers in the dead giant’s ass.

“I don’t think that was necessary.” said Sif.

Sigyn exited the bedroom and stood staring at the dead frost giant on the floor where he lay sprawled taking up most of the hallway. She slowly walked around it, studying it in awe.

“I’ve never actually seen one before in person. I used to have nightmares about them. Do you remember?” Sigyn asked.

Of course he remembered. He’d been awakened more than once when she had experienced them. It would sometimes take quite some time for him and his mother to soothe her back to sleep. Sigyn had not been an overly fearful girl, of course she hated edders, as most children, and even adults did, maybe she hated them a little more which, of course, Loki took full advantage of but she had been quite brave in many ways, yet the memory of her shrieks during her nightmares made Loki’s blood run cold.

“Where the hell did he come from?” Loki asked Sif.

“The basement.” Sif answered.

The trio walked past the giant’s corpse and headed quickly down the stairs to the basement.

“After you,” Sif said to Loki.

“Where’s that damn wizard when you need him?” Loki grumbled and started down the basement steps, flipping on the light.

There was little other than the concrete walls, a workbench with a few old tools, some cans of paint and a few other objects one would typically find in an old basement. There were no doors or windows, no sign of how the Jotun could have gained entrance.

“I see nothing-” Sif began.

Suddenly another frost giant’s hand shot out from shadows under the stairs, grabbing Loki by the throat and lifting him into the air as the Jotun lumbered out of his hiding place.

“Loki!!!” Sigyn cried as Sif charged the Jotun, thrusting her sword at the frost giant but was knocked away by the giant’s free hand.

Loki clawed at the frost giant’s hand. He couldn’t help thinking in his panicked brain that he was going to go out again, the exact same way as he had the first time. Loki's skin began to turn blue, his eyes red and not due to a lack of oxygen. The giant began to form a sword of ice.

Sigyn froze in astonishment at Loki’s transformation but quickly broke free from the spell and spied a can of paint, grabbing it and running up the stairs until she was directly behind the Jotun. Gripping the handle of the paint can she swung it as hard as she could at the back of the frost giant's head. The Jotun released Loki who fell to the floor, clutching his throat. Sif having recovered ran past Loki brandishing her sword and thrust it upwards under the Jotun’s jaw and into his head. As she withdrew it, his body collapsed to the floor.

Sigyn flew down the stairs to Loki’s side as he began to catch his breath and push himself up. His Jotun attributes not yet having faded, Loki looked at her with dismay and self loathing. Sigyn’s expression of shock softened as she placed a hand to his cheek comfortingly as he slowly, steadily regained his Asgardian form. Sif, realizing that Loki hadn’t yet told Sigyn his secret, walked to the stairs and ascended them, leaving the two alone.

“Now you see me as I truly am, the monster.” Loki said.

“You’re not a monster. Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked in a gentle tone. Loki hung his head in shame.

“How could I tell you I’m the creature we used to fear and loathe, a thing of nightmares? That which as a child would wake you screaming in the night.”

“If you hadn’t noticed, I’m no longer a child.” Sigyn put her other hand on his other cheek, holding his head up to look at her, “Did you think I would just walk away after all these years? How little you must think of me.”

“I always thought the world of you, from the day my mother first brought us together.” Sigyn smiled at Loki’s words. She leaned in and kissed him softly on the forehead.

“It changes nothing. You’re still my Loki. Besides, blue’s my favorite color.”

“I should have known. My Sigyn, always so loyal.” Loki said as Sigyn stood, taking his hand and helping him up off the basement floor, “I don’t see how they could have gotten in.” Loki said, looking around him once more.

Sigyn walked over to the body of the dead frost giant and searched it. On its belt she found what she suspected she would find. She held it out to Loki. It was a metallic shaft covered with ornate etchings with milky crystals similar to moonstone on either side.

“They used this. Angels use them to transport themselves. My mother had one on Asgard. She never used it, at least not that I knew of.”

“Angels and Jotuns?”

“It makes sense. The Jotuns want this second casket or whatever it is, but they also want you. You killed their king and probably quite a few others with the Bifrost. The Angels want me. We’re together in the same place. Both would get what they want.”

Loki was silent for a moment, contemplating before coming to the decision to make a full confession of his background.

“Laufey was not only their king. He was my father. My real father. He rejected me, abandoned me to die as an infant. Odin found me in the temple after the Battle of Jotunheim.” Loki confessed. Sigyn stood in shocked silence for a moment, processing this new information.

“What of your mother?”

“Of her I know nothing. Laufey had several wives. She likely would have had no choice in the matter, but knowing Jotuns I doubt she would have raised a fuss. Frigga was the only mother I’ve known and the only one I care about.”

“Which is as it should be. She loved you very much. I only hope if I ever have children of my own...” Sigyn stopped, trailing off, then began to laugh, “Do you remember, we were playing, pretending to be King and Queen of Asgard and I had about every one of her combs stuck in my hair. She asked us what we were doing and you said, ‘I am the King of Asgard and I rule these realms!’ and I said, ‘I am the Queen of Asgard and by his seed I shall bear him many heirs!’ I’d read that in a book somewhere I think, it just sounded good. I had no idea what I was talking about until later when she took me aside and explained what that meant. I was mortified! We’d been playing King and Queen with Sif and the others and I’d been going around saying that line for at least two weeks. I thought 'bearing heirs' meant I would carry them around. I had never thought about where these heirs would actually come from. I guess I thought they just fell from the sky.” Sigyn finished as she continued to laugh, Loki grinning at the memory.

“She later asked me if I’d written that particular dialogue for you. I denied it but I’m not sure she believed me. I was equally disturbed when she explained it to me.”

“Thankfully Sif and Thor nor anyone else knew what it meant either or if they did, they never said anything.” Sif said.

Though Loki was amused by the memory, it also reminded him of all the years that had been lost, what might have been. Sigyn seemed to notice his thoughts translated onto his face and decided against further reminiscences.

“Now look at us. Standing in a dusty basement on Midgard with a dead Jotun. ” said Sif.

“The universe is a strange place.” Loki commented, “We need to come up with a plan, decide what our next move should be. We can’t wait around for them to send more to come creeping out of the closets.” Sigyn began to laugh again.

“I saw a movie once. These monsters came out of people’s toilets...”

“I doubt that’s something we need to fear. ” Loki said with a half smile at the idea, looking over at the dead frost giant’s large frame. Sif appeared at the top of the stairs.

“If you’re done reminiscing,...” Sif said, sounding annoyed. Loki and Sigyn moved towards the stairs, past the dead frost giant. Sif looked down at both of them as they climbed the stairs, “And yes, I knew what it meant.”


	7. Chapter 7

The man in the white suit stood under a rock overhang outside the entrance to a large cave as the sun rose, bringing to life the colors of the countryside surrounding it. Two tall stones, carved with ancient Norse pictographs rose from the ground on either side of the cave entrance. Birdsong filled the air as the man watched them swoop from tree to tree. The man stretched out his hand. A bird with a golden belly and blue wings and head landed and perched on his finger. As he stood examining it a frost giant emerged from the cave behind him.

“Abaddon...”

“Ah, Gymir. What word have you?”

“Gystmere and Lafar have yet to return,” The frost giant, Gymir, informed him. The man appeared unphased by the news continuing to watch the bird perched on his finger. The bird tweeted and sang, seemingly content to remain on its perch.

"I didn’t expect them to. Everything is going exactly to plan. Ready your people. This Gelid had best be as powerful as you claim if it’s to power the ladder.”

“It will not disappoint you.” Gymir assured him.

“It is not me that you should fear disappointing.” Abaddon replied.

“Tell your Queen she will have her empire.”

Gymir returned to the cave. Abaddon watched the bird on his hand for another moment, then with a quick movement, grabbed it with his other hand, crushing it and tossing it away before turning and entering the cave.

**************************************

“Jotuns and Angels? Working together?” Valkyrie exclaimed in disbelief. They all had gathered at Valkyrie’s home in the front room not long after sunrise. Valkyrie sat in an armchair across from Loki and Sigyn who sat on a couch, Sif standing behind the couch, pacing.

“Common enemies bring about strange bedfellows.” Sif said to Valkyrie.

“What do the Jotuns think they’re going to get out of it? Surely they don’t think they’ll keep their end of any bargain. Angels are masters of manipulation and betrayal.” Valkyrie said.

“I know someone who could give them a run for their money.” Sif said sarcastically, glaring at Loki.

“Must I be forever branded? ” said Loki in frustration.

“Branded...I like the sound of that.” Sif replied.

“Enough. We don’t have time for this.” Valkyrie scolded, “They’re getting bolder. They’re obviously no longer concerned about keeping their partnership a secret. They haven’t found it yet or we’d already be overrun. We can’t wait around until they do.”

They all turned their heads as a knock sounded on the door. Valkyrie rose from where she was seated and crossed the room to the front door, She opened it to see one of the Asgardian men who had been part of Alex’s interrogation standing there, a truck running at the curb behind him. She stepped out of the door for a few moments before returning to the doorway with a troubled expression.

“What is it? What’s going on?” Sif asked.

“Come see for yourself.”

Sif, Loki and Sigyn followed Valkyrie outside to the bed of the truck. Valkyrie pulled back the tarp covering Geirolf’s withered corpse.

“Is that...?” Sigyn asked.

“Geirolf. He was found outside town. His truck was there. It hadn’t broken down. He was meeting someone. Looks like we found our mole.” Valkyrie said.

“I should have snapped his neck when I had the chance.” Loki said, crossing his arms and looking at the corpse in disgust.

“If they didn’t need him anymore...” Valkyrie and the others stood silent for a moment staring at the corpse. Valkyrie spit on Geirolf's body with disgust,“Take that out and burn it.” she said to the Asgardian.

“So what now?” Sif asked.

“We can’t wait any longer.” Valkyrie said, walking away.

Valkyrie led the others to what looked to have been a church, now converted to a museum. They entered, walking past rows of displays of the history of Tonsberg, the previous moniker of New Asgard. Glass display cases showcased ancient artifacts and weapons. A reproduction of a Viking longboat sat along the far wall. Valkyrie walked over to a display case towards the back of the large open room, looking to be where the altar would have been when it was a church, pushing it aside. Underneath lay a hidden door. Valkyrie opened it revealing a stone staircase that descended into darkness.

“Alex said we were sitting right on it. What they’re looking for could be down here.” Valkyrie started down the staircase, grabbing an electric lantern hanging from a hook on the wall, the others following.

The four reached the bottom of the stairway, the glow from Valkyrie’s lantern illuminating what looked to be a room full of stone sarcophagi and other relics. Large stone insets carved with different scenes of Norse mythology lined the walls. The four walked the room examining it.

“Only Thor and I and a couple others know of this place. When this area was converted from paganism, they built churches over what was once sacred sites dedicated to the old gods. This was one of them. This vault holds the bodies of the honored mortals that fought with Odin and Asgard against the frost giants. If there’s something from that time here in New Asgard, it could be here.”

“How do we even know what we’re looking for?” Sigyn asked.

“We don’t. We’ll know it when we find it.” Sif said and walked over to a sarcophagus and began to push the lid aside. Inside lay the ancient corpse of a Norse warrior. It crumbled as it was exposed to the air. Valkyrie walked to another sarcophagus and pushed its lid aside with the same result.

Loki ignored the sarcophagi, examining the carvings on the stone insets in the wall. He recognized the human interpretation of dwarves on one, on another the tree of Yggdrasil, a snake coiled at its roots. He walked to the next, a carving of what could only be a frost giant glared menacingly. He felt what he thought was a draft. Placing his hand on the stone, his fingers began to turn blue, the color creeping down his fingers and across his hand.

“Here!” He called out. The others turned to see him standing with his hand on the wall, the blue now moving up his arm. Loki stepped back, his skin returning to its normal color. The others rushed over.

“See, it has its uses.” Sigyn said quietly to Loki.

“I suppose it does.” he replied.

“How are we going to get through that? It’s solid rock. ” Sigyn asked. Loki turned his head to look at her with a teasing grin.

“Perhaps you could hit it with your head.”

“Wait here. ” Valkyrie ran to the stairway.

In the museum, Valkyrie raced to one wall, removing a large reproduction of a Viking hammer from its display and rushed back to the vault.

In the vault, the others waited. Valkyrie ran towards them with the hammer.

“Out of the way!” she called as she approached. As they moved aside, Valkyrie hit the wall with the weapon. The head of the hammer shattered. Valkyrie looked down at the broken hammer with dismay, “I guess they don’t make ’em like they used to.”

“Step aside.” Sif told Valkyrie and the others. She pulled a small metallic disk from her pocket and attached it to the stone, “Get back!” she commanded. Everyone moved swifty back to sit on the far sides of the sarcophagi. An explosion rocked the wall of the vault, choking dust filling the air, the sound of rock hitting the walls and floor filling the chamber. As the dust and smoke settled, all four rushed to the wall panel which now had been blasted partially away. A blue glow emanated from a small recess within.

“You kept that in your pocket?” Valkyrie asked Sif in disbelief.

Valkyrie reached inside the opening, dragging out an object the size of a shoe box. It sported ornately carved handles on each side, the top and bottom made of what appeared to be black stone. The sides were of a metallic material with symbols cut into them, the blue glow from within illuminating them.

“That’s it? It’s smaller than I thought it’d be.” Sigyn said.

“Its size doesn’t matter.” Loki said thinking of the power contained in the Infinity Stones. Valkyrie and Sif looked at each other and began to snicker. Loki looked over at them, “What?”

“You haven’t had this conversation already?” Sif asked, she and Valkyrie laughing.

“No, why--hey!” Loki said , finally getting Sif’s joke. Sif picked up the lantern and her and Valkyrie headed towards the stairs. Sigyn took hold of his arm as they followed them, Sigyn unable to hide her own amusement, a small giggle finally escaping her. Loki looked over at her as if to say, ‘you too?’

“Sorry.” Sigyn said.

Inside the museum, Valkyrie grabbed a flag off the wall and wrapped the relic in it.

“What do we do with it?” Sif asked.

“We need to get it as far away from here as possible.” Valkyrie said.

“I know a place.” said Sigyn.

As they walked out the door of the museum, Abaddon stood on the sidewalk at the bottom of the steps and looked up at them.

“My Jotun friends doubted me, They wanted to come barreling into town like a bunch of brigands and tear this place apart. I knew that wouldn’t be necessary. I had faith you would find the Gelid for us if given the proper motivation.” he said.

“Abaddon...” Sigyn said, shock and fear in her voice. Loki moved himself in front of Sigyn.

“Ah yes, Sigyn. Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about you. I have great plans for you. By the time I’m finished, you’ll wish you had stayed dead.”

Frost giants began appearing around the building, teleporting one at a time to the scene. Asgardians that had been walking along the street fled . The frost giants moved towards the stairway. Sif pulled her sword from the sheath on her back. Loki produced his daggers, both ready for the fight.

“Come now. You know you can’t win. Why expend the energy? I make you an offer, your highness,” Abaddon addressed Valkyrie, “Surrender the Gelid and Sigyn to me, her guardian to my Jotun friends and you and your pretty friend will be unmolested as well as your wonderful little settlement.”

“Not a chance. I don’t make deals with my people’s lives.” Valkyrie replied.

“Oh, but those two are not your people. She’s as mortal now as any other and I’m well acquainted with the true heritage of he who claims to be the rightful king of the Jotunheim.”

“Anyone living here under my rule are my people.” Valkyrie replied.

“Perhaps that’s why Asgard fell. You let your blood become tainted. I’ve heard that the true son of Odin had a love affair with a mortal as well. How denigrating.”

The frost giants were closing in on the stairway, two of them already halfway up, when suddenly the sound of loud rock music blared from above as laser blasts struck two of the frost giants sending them hurtling through the air. More laser blasts felled four more as Abaddon ran for cover. Sif engaged the closest frost giant who had turned towards the source of the blasts, slicing his torso then brought her sword back around, sending the giant’s head flying, his body collapsing onto the stairway. The other frost giants who had yet to reach the stairway backed off and scattered as more laser blasts landed around them. Loki sent a dagger flying into the eye of the other still standing on the stairway. He fell backwards onto the concrete steps.

The ship descended and hovered over the road. Valkyrie handed the relic in her hands over to Sigyn.

“Take it! Go! Get away from here!” she yelled over the sound of the loud music and the laser blasts.

“What about you and Sif?” Sigyn called out as Loki grabbed her by the arm and pulled her down the stairs past the frost giant corpses, recovering his dagger.

“We’ll be fine! Don’t worry!” Valkyrie called out.

A hatch on the ship opened, Thor appearing at the hatch. Loki pulled Sigyn along behind him, both running towards Thor and the open hatch.

“Brother!” Loki called out boosting Sigyn up, Thor grabbing her free hand and pulling her inside as she held onto the relic with the other, tucking it against her under her arm. Thor leaned forward out of the hatch as Loki propelled himself upwards, grabbing hold of Thor’s hand. Thor pulled him inside and closed the hatch. Thor moved back up to the cockpit of the spacecraft as Loki and Sigyn caught their breath and steadied themselves.

“What are those guys?! They’re like smurfs on steroids!” Peter Quill called out over the music as he blasted another he saw running down the street, piloting the ship upwards and into a turn.

“Jotuns! Frost giants!” Thor answered loudly over the music.

“They don’t have those in Missouri!” Quill said, blasting the last frost giant and piloting the ship away from New Asgard over the open ocean.

“Can I not leave you alone for five minutes without you getting yourself in trouble, brother?” Thor called back to Loki, more teasing than serious.

“This wasn’t me! Truly this time!” Loki replied.

“I heard you’ve been fishing women out of the sea. Maybe you should have thrown her back.” Thor teased.

Thor got up from the cockpit seat beside Quill and headed back to Loki and Sigyn who were still catching their breath, leaning on two empty seats to the rear of the cockpit. Laughing, Thor hugged Loki and then turned to Sigyn. Sigyn stared at him, hardly recognizing him as the little blond boy he’d once been, always enthusiastic for a fight.

“Thor...you’ve grown...a lot.” Sigyn said, clearly impressed. Loki couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

“As have you. You’ve grown to be quite-” Thor was obviously equally impressed with Sigyn but not sure what words to use that would not be mistaken as crass. Loki decided to lend a hand, putting his arm around her.

“Beautiful? Ravishing? Exquisite?” Sigyn looked over at Loki with a smile, blushing.

“Yes...all those things and I’m sure much more.” Thor grabbed Sigyn in a hug, “Welcome back, sweet Sigyn.”

“So where to?” Quill called from the cockpit. Sigyn made her way up next to him.

“I need a map. The eastern U.S.” Quill called up the map on a screen near the controls,“It’s pretty far off the east coast. You won’t see it on the map, but it’s position is about in this area.” Sigyn indicated the area with her finger. Quill nodded and plotted a course, “You have music on this thing?” Sigyn asked Quill.

“Yeah! There’s a play list...” Quill pointed to another small screen. She looked through it, scrolling with her finger.

“Wow! I haven’t heard that one in forever!” She said coming upon a certain song. Quill glanced over at her.

“Thought you was from Asgard?”

“I was...originally...it’s a long story. I was taken from Asgard and sent to Earth as a child.”

“Sounds like we have something in common. By the way, I’m Quill, Peter Quill. Known across the galaxy as Starlord.” He held out his hand, she took it.

“Sigyn. So...what should I call you?” Quill glanced over at Sigyn.

“Pretty girl like you can call me whatever you like.” Quill said flirtatiously. Sigyn blushed again. She wasn’t used to being praised for her physical attributes after living most of her life as rather plain. Loki a few feet behind them, overhearing the conversation, made his presence known by clearing his throat. Sigyn looked over her shoulder at him.

“Well...Quill...Starlord...I think I’m in the mood for this one.” She said as she chose a song and put a hand on his shoulder, “By the way, thank you.”

“Pleasure’s all mine. Not everyday I get to rescue the princess.” Quill said.

“How-” Sigyn began before cutting herself off and smiling at him, realizing he wasn’t being literal. Probably referring to some pop culture video game or movie. She’d seen plenty of those. The song “Strange Magic” began to play as she walked away back to Loki and Thor moved up front, again taking the seat next to Quill.

“Hey! Good call!” Quill said regarding her song choice.

“One of the most underrated bands of all time.” Sigyn called up to him, putting an arm around Loki.

“You think so too?” Quill called back to her. Sigyn sat down in one of the two empty seats, gesturing for Loki to sit in the other.

“Where are you taking us, by the way? Not to the hovel of that wizard...” Loki asked after he'd sat down. Sigyn smiled.

“Home.”


	8. Chapter 8

Quill's spacecraft, smaller than the Milano, he'd bought it from a junker desperate for money and fixed it up just for side missions like this one, approached a small island in the Atlantic. On one side of the island, tall cliffs raised up from a rocky and sandy shoreline. The other sides of the island were steep, but more gradual down to the shore, the island plateauing on top. There was a small pine forest along one edge, the rest was relatively clear and flat. Different species of flora were just starting to bud in the early spring climate. A small one story house sat on a flat grassy area. Quill put the ship down in what amounted to the yard of the house.

"You're sure about this?" Loki asked Sigyn quietly. He knew she had not had the time of her life here, at worst the victim of a drunken, abusive father and at best isolated and completely, utterly, alone.

"They never found me here. It was only after I left. My father was right. I was safe here. We'll be safe here." Sigyn assured Loki.

It had turned out that Thor and Quill had not just had good timing. They'd arrived the day before and Valkyrie had them lay low, ready at a moment's notice to respond to her signal if there was any trouble. She understood well the element of surprise. Loki was a bit miffed that they'd actually been nearby while he and Sif fought the frost giants that had invaded his home and he had almost died...again...but in the end he had to admit that it had been a good plan. 

Valkyrie had already been two steps ahead of their enemies. She knew when she saw Geirolf's body that the trap was about to be sprung, and she was going to spring it on her terms. Thor was pleased that it had been proven he'd left his people in capable hands. He hoped that now that all parties concerned, and ancient powerful relics, were out of New Asgard their enemies would leave them in peace. If not, he would deal with them.

"Well, here goes. Hope everything still works." Sigyn said as they exited the ship, she carrying the Gelid still wrapped up in the flag. Loki stuck closely by her side, scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger.

As the crossed the yard towards the house, the sound of the ocean washing up against the boundaries of the island was constant, almost hypnotic and relaxing. Following behind her and Loki, Thor and Quill also examined their surroundings.

"You had a whole island to yourself?" Quill asked in awe.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't always by myself. My father lived here with me until the last couple of years. I liked it better by myself though, he was kind of an asshole."

"Wait until you hear about mine." Quill said. 

Sigyn was certain they'd have plenty of time to share stories. She had no idea how long they'd be there. She knew Thor and Quill didn't have to stay but until a way was found to deal with their enemies once and for all, she and Loki were going to be permanent residents and guardians of the Gelid which somehow felt fitting after the revelation of Loki's true heritage.

The house was small and appeared run down. There was more bare wood showing than paint. The windows were dirty and she could see the curtains inside had yellowed. She noticed a couple places on the roof that were missing shingles and could use patching. Otherwise it looked almost as it had when she'd left it. Sigyn opened the screen door, clutching the door knob that opened into the main sitting room of the house and turned it. It squeaked a bit as did the hinges as she pushed open the door. The house had the odor of a place that had been shut up for a long time, though it wasn't terribly unpleasant. She wished that it was later in the season and flowers were blooming, not only to add color to the house but to fill it with their fresh, sweet fragrance.

"Home sweet home." Sigyn said as she entered, Loki right behind her and Thor and Quill following. In the corner of the room sat the old TV, old even at the time her father had shattered the screen. Her father had never removed it. It had remained as a reminder of her isolation from that day to the day she had finally left. There was a shelf filled to overflowing with VCR tapes along the wall near the TV that had been rendered useless. The kitchen was off to the right, small but functional. A small table with room for four people sat in the corner of it.

Sigyn switched on the light, holding her breath. The bulb flickered for a moment, then began to glow steadily. She sighed in relief.

"Power still works. Everything here runs on solar." Her father had, for one of the few times in his life, allowed outsiders onto the island to help him to build this house to replace what had essentially been a cabin and then many years later to install the solar panels. Before that they had used a generator, rationing hours of electricity a day.

"There's two bedrooms in the back. But only two beds, sorry. If you have somewhere to sleep on your ship, it might be more comfortable." Sigyn advised Thor and Quill.

Sigyn instinctively knew that this was the only place on the entire planet she was truly safe. Why that was or how she knew, she couldn't say. She led them all to a hallway off the sitting room. She opened the first door, her father's bedroom. The bed was still made though dust had settled on the bed clothes. Her father's clothes were still in the closet, a pair of boots sitting beside the closet door. Sigyn led them past a bathroom across the hall to the closed door of a room at the end of the hallway. Turning the knob she opened it.

The room was the largest bedroom and it was a good thing that it was as all around sat boxes of vinyl records and cassette tapes, one on top of another. She had once tried to organize and label them. There was little decoration other than some flowers made of folded tissue paper and a few other handicrafts. A record player sat on a dresser across from the bed along with an old combination CD and cassette player. A guitar and a mandolin sat on stands near the bed. The room was painted a sky blue color. The window was covered by slightly yellowed lace curtains.

"And this was...is...my room." Sigyn informed the others as they entered. Quill's jaw dropped at the sight of the boxes of record albums.

"Jackpot!" he exclaimed, drawing out the word. He quickly walked over to a crate of records and started flipping through them like a kid in a candy store, "You mind if I look through these?" he asked, though he was already doing so.

"Knock yourself out." Sigyn answered, smiling. At least she knew Quill would have no problem keeping occupied. Quill removed an old record from the 50's from the box in front of him. It was an original Buddy Holly and the Crickets album.

"Do you have any idea how much these are worth?" he asked, breathless.

No, she didn't. She hadn't thought about it. To him, they seemed ancient. To her it was almost as if she had gotten them yesterday. Maybe not that recently but close. Sigyn approached Quill and looked at the record in his hand. 

"Poor Buddy. He was one of my favorites. When I heard he'd died in that plane crash I cried for days. Hard to think about what music we missed out on. I hope he still sings in Valhalla."

"I thought Valhalla was just for you Asgardians...warriors." Quill said.

"Valhalla is for everyone. We just call it different names. Maybe it's different for all of us, too." Sigyn said as Loki looked away, discomforted by the topic of their conversation.

"I suppose we're going to have to decide what to do with this." Sigyn said as she placed the Gelid wrapped in the flag onto the bed.

"Leave that to me." said Loki.

********************************** 

Loki awoke to the muffled sound of music, realizing that it was coming through the walls from outside. He looked to the space in the bed beside him to see Sigyn was not there. Rising, he changed out of the white T-shirt and sweat pants Sigyn had found in her father's dresser, donning the clothing he'd worn the day before. 

As Loki crossed the front room to the kitchen, he saw Thor sitting by himself at the table, a square box sitting in front of him, eating what looked like a toaster pastry.

"Good morrow, brother." Thor greeted him.

"What is that you're eating?" Loki asked as Thor examined what he held in his hand.

"Food." Thor grinned. "Would you like some?" Loki gave a disgusted look.

"I'll pass. What's all this racket? I thought we were supposed to be in hiding." Loki asked, sounding mildly irritated. The front door was open, Loki looked out through the screen door to see Quill and Sigyn dancing to the disco standard 'Don't Leave Me This Way.'

"What are they doing?" Loki asked incredulously.

"Dancing. She asked Quill to teach her." Thor said, his mouth half full of toaster pastry.

Watching both grooving to the music, Loki couldn't help but sense the sexual charge in the music and their movements. Of course there had been music and dance on Asgard but there had been nothing like this. It struck him as somewhat vulgar. There was a place for that of course, but not when it was Sigyn, his Sigyn, and that cretin fool.

Sigyn looked exuberant as she danced. Quill spun her and she leaned out, gripping his hand, then spun back into his arms. As the finale of the song began, Sigyn spun away again then ran towards Quill and dived towards him as he caught her and raised her into the air. She stretched her arms out as if she were flying as he spun her around as she laughed with sheer joy. As the song ended, Quill lowered her to the ground. Once her feet were firmly planted on it, Sigyn jumped up and down like an excited child, clapping her hands.

"I always wanted to do that! I haven't had that much fun since...I've never had that much fun!" Sigyn exclaimed.

"Anytime." Quill replied.

"Do you not think we should be a bit more inconspicuous? " Loki asked as he approached. 

"It's ok. We're miles from anywhere." Sigyn said, still breathless and beaming with glee.

"Your girl here's' quite a dancer. You should take her out sometime." Quill said to Loki.

"Would you like a drink? I need one." Sigyn asked Quill as she turned and began heading in the direction of the house.

"Sure." Quill answered.

"Ok, be right back." Sigyn said as she ran towards the house. 

Loki looked Quill up and down, almost menacingly, before turning to follow her. Suddenly Quill saw one of the speakers attached to the wing of his ship he'd hooked up to his stereo system burst into flames. 

"Shit!" he exclaimed, pulling off his jacket. As he went to put the jacket over the speaker to smother the flames he looked up at the two heading towards the house. Loki, with his back to him as he walked away made a quick gesture with his hand, the flames vanishing, "What the-?" Quill said aloud in confusion as he examined the undamaged speaker.

*********************************** 

Over two weeks had passed on the island. Thor and Quill had made a run back to New Asgard for supplies and reported back that as for now, all seemed to be back to normal. Valkyrie had the frost giants' bodies burned outside town. No one knew what had become of Abaddon. He had disappeared without a trace. 

Abaddon was the Queen's right hand man. No one was closer to her. Sigyn believed he'd probably slunk back to Heven to lick his wounds. He was a proud man and having his plan fall apart so disastrously would be a deep wound to his vanity. To displease Loriel was courting death and she would surely be displeased but Sigyn also knew that could lead Abaddon to become even more determined to find her.

Quill had spent his days meticulously combing through her music collection cataloging everything. He always seemed disappointed at night when she had to kick him out so she and Loki could sleep. So much she had forgotten she even possessed among so many, but she had never been able to part with a single one. She was watching Quill now as he gleefully sorted through a box of cassette tapes.

"it's probably going to take you a hundred years to get through all these." Sigyn said as she sat on the bed picking out tunes on her mandolin. A few centuries of practice had made her quite adept at it. She had tuned both her instruments since their arrival. They could definitely use new strings, but were still playable. She began picking out a new tune. Quill raised his head, listening. He rose and walked over to her guitar, removing it from its stand.

"Hey, hold up." Quill said. Sigyn stopped playing. Quill sat down facing her on the bed and began the song again with the guitar part. Sigyn listened waiting for her turn to come in. They began to play the guitar and Mandolin parts of Led Zeppelin's Going to California before beginning to sing the lyrics.

As they concluded the song, Quill and Sigyn smiled at each other in silence for a moment. Loki stood in the doorway, unnoticed by either of them, having been drawn by the sound of the music.

"You are one cool chick." Quill said, Loki rolling his eyes at the chick reference, "Hey, you think maybe you and I-" 

"She's spoken for." said Loki. Sigyn looked away from Quill towards the doorway as Quill turned his head.

"I was going to say 'start a band. Like we could tour." Quill said defensively as Loki turned and walked out of sight back down the hallway, "What's up with Count Dracula?" Quill asked.

"Please don't call him that." Sigyn said.

"Sorry." Quill apologized.

"Excuse me." Sigyn said, sliding off the bed and returning the mandolin to its stand before leaving the room.

As Sigyn entered the front room, she heard the screen door bang closed as Loki left the house. Sigyn followed him. Thor, exiting Quill's ship, noticed Loki, taking note of his demeanor as he walked by.

"Is something amiss?" Thor asked Sigyn as he saw her following Loki. Sigyn shrugged at Thor in reply.

Loki had stopped walking when he ran out of room to walk. He stood on the edge of the island where it began to slope down to the seashore, staring out over the water, the salty sea wind buffeting him.

"It's just music. I never had anyone to play it with before. It's nice." Sigyn said from behind him.

"Was that also on your list?" Loki asked, his back to her, displeasure in the tone of his voice.

"As I said, it's a long list" Sigyn replied as she approached Loki to stand beside him.

"You seem to be whittling it down. If it pleases you to spend your time with a simpleton that refers to you as poultry, be my guest."

"Jealousy isn't a good look for you."

"Jealous? Of that fool? Hardly." Loki responded.

"There's no reason for you to be-" Sigyn began as Loki turned towards her, taking her in his arms and kissing her passionately. Sigyn, in shock, stared at Loki in silence as he gazed into her eyes. Was that fear he saw in them? Sigyn finally found her voice again, "Uh...wow...maybe I should make you jealous more often. Well...I suppose I'd better go make lunch. You're all probably hungry." 

Sigyn seemed to have been mentally thrown off balance, perhaps even fearful. She pulled herself away from Loki and walked back towards the house, turning to give Loki a smile, but there was still a touch of that fear in her eyes. Loki stood watching her walk away, confused.

*******************************

Abaddon stood outside the cave. In his hand was a holoprojector communication device. In the projection sat a woman sitting on an elaborate throne, an ornate crown of gold adorning her head shaped into wings on either side with a large crystal that threw off rainbow colors in the center of the band of the crown across her forehead. She wore flowing powder blue robes and a long cape over her shoulders, embroidered with angelic symbols in gold thread.

"Your failure is disappointing, Abaddon. You assured me that we would have the Gelid by this time. I lose patience."

"The son of Odin's arrival was unforeseen, my Queen. I had been told he had abandoned this realm when he handed the throne off to another."

"And what of the Gelid and Lailah's daughter? She holds the Salom Stone. Where are they now?"

"We know their location. However, it's still under the protective spell of that Asgardian witch. No other of angel origin aside from her now that her mother is no more can step foot on it without being rendered to ash. "

"You are a resourceful man, Abaddon. That is why you sit at my right hand. You will find a way or I will find another to occupy that seat." Abaddon knew that the loss of his position would also mean the loss of his head. One always went with the other.

"It will be done, my Queen."

************************************* 

Loki, looking troubled and perplexed, his hands clasped behind his back, traipsed slowly past Quill's ship deep in thought. Quill stepped out onto the gangway from the interior of the ship with a wand-like device. Loki noticed him, giving him a quick glance before continuing on. 

"Hey, man, look, I'm not trying to move in on your girl or anything. I've got a girl out there. Her name's Gamora." Quill called out to Loki. Loki stopped and turned towards Quill .

"Gamora? You mean-"

"Thano's daughter, yeah. Well, she wasn't really his daughter-daughter. She was adopted. More like kidnapped actually."

"You're a far braver man than I gave you credit for." said Loki.

"Yeah, first time I tried to dance with her, she put a knife to my throat." Quill told him. Loki contrasted that with his first dance with Sigyn.

"And you were able to tame her?" Loki asked.

"I don't know if I'd say tamed, exactly...but she stopped tryin' to kill me."

"That's quite an accomplishment." Loki replied, only half in jest. He remembered Gamora from his time with Thanos after falling from the Bifrost. He only knew her as the hard and cold, deadly assassin.

"We cool, man?" Quill asked. Loki nodded and started to walk on then stopped, turning back to face Quill. 

"It seems you're a man with some understanding of women." Loki stated.

"I've had my share of experience." Quill said, crossing his arms and coolly leaning against the frame of the ship's hatch.

"Then perhaps you could be of some assistance." said Loki, obviously hesitant to admit he needed any advice on the subject, or any subject for that matter, but he found himself in a quandary.

"Step into my office..." Quill said, gesturing for Loki to join him inside the ship.

Entering the ship, Quill placed the device in his hand on a console and sat down in the cockpit seat turning it around and kicking back, gesturing towards the other seat now in front of him as Loki entered. Loki glanced out of the hatch before joining Quill.

"So...what can I do for you?' Quill asked. Loki was quiet for a moment, pondering how to begin.

"Well, you see, Sigyn and I...wait...no...it's like this." Loki began as Quill listened patiently, "You know some of Sigyn's story. She was here with just her father for a couple centuries, give or take, then alone for a time before she left this place and went out into the world though she had no real contact with anyone even then. Here's the thing...she's never 'been' with anyone..."

"You're telling me that girl's a virgin?!" Quill asked in surprise rather loudly. Loki quickly turned his head looking in alarm behind him towards the open hatch.

"Shhh! Yes, that's what I'm saying!"

"But I thought...I mean, you sleep in the same bed...you're telling me you two have never..." Quill made a vulgar hand gesture signifying copulation, "You've never played hide the cannoli? Taken her for a ride on the meat wagon-"

"No!" Loki exclaimed, looking shocked and disgusted, then hesitated a moment, "How many vile euphemisms are there?" Loki asked. Quill leaned back lacing his fingers on his chest, smiling.

"Lots...and I'm telling ya, when you finally do, if she picks up on it like she did dancing, you are gonna need ice packs, my friend. Not sure whether to be jealous or feel sorry for ya." Quill said. Loki stared at him in silence, questioning his decision to talk to Quill before continuing.

"Anyway...I've had my...adventures, as you might say. I'm not new to the arena myself, though I've always sought out the experienced when pursuing my pleasures, moved on without another thought..."

"Know exactly what you're sayin'. I forgot one girl was even on the ship once."

Loki looked at Quill in disbelief. He'd never been quite that crass.

"But Sigyn...it's different...she's different..."

Quill remained kicked back in his seat as he nodded knowingly.

"Because she's not like the others. You think you might actually love her."

"I don't merely think..."

"So that's why it's different. It matters now." said Quill.

"Well...yes...actually."

"And you want it to be right, to mean something, because it's her first and she only gets one shot at it."

"Exactly. I'm inexperienced with inexperience, I suppose you could say." Loki admitted. He was quiet for a moment, thoughtful, before continuing, "She has this 'list'...things she always wanted to do but couldn't when she was here...she has been notably...enthusiastic...about other things, but despite many opportunities...it's as if she's-"

"Afraid." Quill finished for Loki.

"I don't want to push her. But then, maybe she thinks because of that I don't-"

"So basically you're both dancing around it." Quill interrupted.

"I suppose you could say that." Loki admitted.

"You're telling me the man who tried to take over the world and damn near succeeded...which is impressive by the way..."

"Thank you." Loki said, grinning at the compliment.

"...is too afraid to just lay it on the line, put all the cards on the table?"

"It's not fear, it's-"

"Bullshit. You're as afraid as she is, just some of the reasons might be different." Quill said.

"Perhaps you're right. So...what do I do about it?" Loki asked, a hint of desperation in his voice.

"You're a smart guy. You couldn't have tried conquering the planet without some serious planning...same thing here."

"I'm not looking to 'rule' her or have her kneeling before me." Loki said disgustedly.

"Why not? That sounds pretty awesome. I mean, most guys-"

"We've gotten off track." Loki said, looking perturbed.

"Yeah, well, anyway, you're worried about it being right. You have to set the scene...draw her in..."

"You make it sound like a trap."

"It kinda is, in a way. Similar idea. You've gotta get her in the right mindset so she'll forget her fear and remember what she wants."

"And how do I do that?"

"Leave it to me." Quill said confidently. Loki wasn't sure he wanted to leave anything to Peter Quill, but what he said did make a lot of sense, he had to admit, "Here's what you're gonna do..."

************************************** 

Somewhere on a deserted beach on the shore of the Atlantic and the U.S., Abaddon materialized out of a pinkish-violet light. The sun was going down, The waves lapped the shore, froth swirling on the sand and rocks. A frost giant materialized next to him out of the same pinkish-violet light. Both looked out over the water.

"I will be unable to accompany you. You'll be in sole command of the operation. When you have the Gelid and Sigyn, transport back to this location and I will meet you here. If you cannot capture her..." Abaddon handed Gymir a sheathed dagger, "Your people can do what you like with your traitorous 'king' and the others."

"There are only the four of them, you're certain?" Gymir asked.

"Yes. No surprises this time." Abaddon assured the frost giant.

"There'd better not be. I did not foresee the price in Jotun blood being so high. You'd best uphold your end of the bargain."

"Oh, we will. Have faith." Abaddon continued looking out over the ocean as the sky grew darker, "This will be their last night. I sincerely hope they enjoy it."

************************************** 

On Sigyn's island, Sigyn and Quill sat on the floor of her room, going through more crates of records and cassette tapes. Quill removed records from their covers, pushing a button on the wand, running it over each record, one side then the other before returning them to their covers.

"Probably going to have to add more memory after I'm done with all these, unless I dump the nav computer." Quill stated, scanning another record.

"I think you kinda need that." Sigyn said with a grin.

"Yeah, but it's tempting. Probably going to have to come back and do the rest later."

"They'll be here. Feel free to drop by anytime. I'll give you the spare key."

"Awesome!"

Loki appeared in the doorway. Sigyn noticing him, looked up.

"I thought you might like to join me for a walk." Loki said to her.

"Yeah, go stretch your legs, we've been at this for three hours." Quill said replacing another record back into the crate.

"Alright..." Sigyn rose from the floor, stumbling a bit, "Yeah, they are pretty stiff. Be back in a little bit."

Quill nodded, not looking up from the next record until Loki and Sigyn were out of sight down the hall, then looked up at the door with a knowing grin.

Outside, the sun was setting, throwing shades of pinks, oranges, and reds across the sky. Sigyn took Loki's arm as they began their trek across the island. Thor, sitting in the cockpit of the ship keeping watch, waved at them as they walked by.

As they continued to walk, now out of sight of the house and nearing the far side of the island, Sigyn noticed what looked like a candle flame in the distance. 

"What's that?" she asked suspiciously.

"I'm not sure, shall we see?" Loki answered. She knew from his tone of voice that he was already well aware of what it was and decided to play along.

The two continued on until they reached the area near the far edge of the island. Seting in the grass was a small table Loki had procured from the house along with two old wooden folding chairs. Upon the table sat a half burned jar candle, two wine glasses and a bottle of wine along with a corkscrew. A few feet from the table, a few blankets had been laid out on the grass.

"What's all this?" Sigyn queried, taking in the scene.

"I found the wine in one of the cabinets. I thought it would be nice to enjoy the stars as we once did." 

"Loki pulled out a chair for Sigyn. After seating herself, she looked up at the sky as the stars began to twinkle as the last light from the sun began to fade near the horizon. She could hear the ocean far below, smashing against the rocks. Loki opened the wine, the cork popping as it slid from the bottle with the aid of the corkscrew. It was a red wine, a deep magenta color. Sigyn knew it was not the most expensive as it had been part of her father's stash. 

Loki poured the wine into the two glasses, setting the bottle down on the table and sat across from Sigyn. Lifting her glass, she took a drink of the wine. She had never been a big drinker, mostly because of her experiences with her father, and the strong taste caused her to screw up her face for a moment.

"That bad?" Loki asked.

"No...no...it's good actually. It's just been awhile. I'm not going to find myself in another dimension in a couple minutes this time, am I?" Loki looked down smiling.

"No, not this time."

Sigyn closed her eyes, feeling the breeze off the ocean on her face.

"I wasn't old enough when I left Asgard to have attended the revels."

"We would have had a glorious time." Loki replied. After a few moments of silence Loki continued, looking down into his glass of wine,"I also wished to make amends for earlier today. I spoke out of turn. I can lay no claim to you." Sigyn was quiet for a moment as she looked at Loki tenderly.

"There's where you're wrong. You've always had my heart. You know that. We were both so different. All we really had was each other."

"And that's what I fear..." Loki began.

"What do you mean?" Sigyn asked, puzzled about what he could possibly fear about that fact.

"I'm all you've known. Of course we were playmates with others, but am I not the only one you were ever close to? What if there were another that you would have more of an affinity for, whom you might find more suited to you?"

"I can't imagine that. Is that what's been bothering you? You think Quill and I...?"

"Perhaps it did cross my mind. You have much in common." Loki said, taking a drink of wine, his glass now almost empty. He looked down at the last drink left in it, "I've also considered the fact you're a mortal now. Perhaps you find them more-" Loki heard Sigyn begin to cry. He looked up from his glass over at her. She had put her glass down on the table, her face now in her hands. He moved to kneel down in front of her.

"I didn't think about it in the beginning, I was just so happy to have found you." she sobbed, "I know how you always felt about mortals, that they're below Asgardians. How they're so weak, their lives so fleeting as to be virtually meaningless. Now that's true of me, too. You will go on and I won't. You'll soon wake up to find me old and withered away while you still look as you do now. You'll lose me all over again and so soon!" 

Loki had had the same thoughts briefly, but he had put it to the back of his mind. The fact she was Sigyn, his Sigyn, who had been so long lost to him had mattered to him far more. He hadn't understood how or why Thor would set his heart upon a mortal who would be gone from him in a heartbeat, but he did now. Loki put a comforting hand to the side of Sigyn's head, feeling her silky hair under his fingers.

"It matters to me not at all. Not anymore." Loki attempted to reassure her.

"But it does matter! When mortals lose the one they love after a lifetime, they grieve for only a few years perhaps until they are gone too. You'll be left to do it for millennia! I don't want to do that to you!"

"That's it...that's what you fear..." Loki said, more to himself than to Sigyn. Sigyn moved her hands from her face and looked down, nodding, "Be it a day or a hundred years, young and beautiful, old and gray, you will still be my Sigyn and I would rather have you for that little time than not at all." Taking her hand, Loki raised her to her feet, taking her in his arms, holding her tight as she laid her head on his shoulder.

"I love you, Loki. That's why I don't want to be the cause of more pain. You've been through too much already."

"Let us speak no more of it for the moment. These are worries for another day." Loki said as he took hold of her arms and moved her gently away from him as the music from speakers Quill had set up nearby began to play. "Would you like to dance?" he asked. Sigyn, her face still streaked with tears, smiled as she nodded. Loki took her in his arms as the music played.

Loki had to admit, Quill was a master. He had left the song choice to Quill, naturally, since he didn't know all that many and he couldn't have picked a more perfect song as the lyrics spoke of only needing air and to love the object of the vocalist's affection which was also Loki's thoughts at that particular moment. It was like the man had an encyclopedic memory of his musical catalog and could match a song to any situation. Loki took Sigyn's face in his hands and kissed her. They continued sharing kisses as he eased her down onto the blankets.

"Do you want this? " Loki asked. Sigyn smiled up at him, her arms clasped around his neck as she nodded.

Kissing her again, he put a hand to her cheek and looked into her eyes. He saw longing in them, but also lingering fear. 

"I'm terrified..." she said. Loki smiled at her reassuringly.

"You must tell me if I hurt you."

"I think maybe I want you to..." she said softly. Hearing her last words, Loki broke into a mischievous grin.

"Very well then, my love...I will give you the sweetest pleasure and the sweetest pain."


	9. Chapter 9

Thor noticed Loki and Sigyn approaching in the moonlight as they walked across the grass, each with an arm wrapped around the other, the two so close that they almost moved as one unit, smiling and looking contentedly into each other's eyes, hardly noticing where they were going. Thor left the cockpit where he had been serving as lookout and alighted the ship, coming down the gangway to greet them as Quill arrived to relieve him and take over watch duties.

"Good evening, brother, Sigyn. You were gone for some time. I was beginning to worry you had lost your way. Did you enjoy your stroll?" Thor asked.

"Many times over." Loki said with a sly grin, leading Sigyn to giggle. They made their way past the ship and the two men in the direction of the house, Thor appearing confused at Loki's comment as well as Sigyn's reaction.

"Wonder how many..." Quill commented.

*****************************************

The morning sunlight streamed through the bedroom window, the old yellowed lace curtain doing little to block it. Sigyn could feel its warmth on her face though she had no wish to rise. She and Loki lay wrapped in each others arms as she felt Loki's lips on her forehead.

"Do we have to get up?" she asked drowsily.

"Not right this moment, no." Loki answered.

"Good...I just want to stay like this, for ever and ever."

"We would eventually starve." said Loki in jest.

"At least we'd die happy. I always thought I'd die alone." Sigyn responded.

"I would never let that happen. Enough talk of dying. It's of living I wish to speak..." said Loki, Sigyn noticing a change in the tone of Loki's voice leading her to do what she had been avoiding and open her eyes. Loki looked deeply into them. She could see in his that there was more he wanted to say.

"What is it?" Sigyn asked curiously.

"I know it's not been long...I don't think I need any longer to know...I believe I knew then...centuries ago..."

"Knew what?" 

"That I want you here by my side...you and no other. The question is if you will have me. With my many faults, all that's in my past, you would endure the venom of those who align against me. I've made many enemies. It would not be easy for you."

"When has it ever been easy?" Sigyn smiled as she laughed, "I'm here now, aren't I? I'm not sure what you're saying."

"I may have no throne but despite that fact, I still have need of a queen." Sigyn stared at Loki in surprise, finally comprehending his question. She remained silent for a few moments as if mentally processing it.

"I don't know-" Sigyn began to say before Loki interrupted her.

"You're right, it's far too soon. Forgive me. I've let my passions carry me away, one of the many faults of which I spoke." Loki said, attempting to mask his disappointment.

"I was going to say I don't know how I could possibly say no." Sigyn replied. Loki appeared taken by surprise before kissing her exuberantly, wrapping his arms around her, before rolling with her across the bed like a child, laughing joyfully, until they reached the far side, falling from the bed unto the floor. Sigyn shrieked as they fell, both laughing as they found themselves on the floor.

*****************************************

On the far side of the island on the shore below the cliffs, a pink-violet light erupted then faded, revealing the Jotun, Gymir. Other lights began to appear on the shore. The frost giants emerging from them moved towards Gymir as he signaled towards the cliff face and moved to it, beginning to climb as the others followed.

As they reached the top of the cliff, the Jotuns climbed over, moving stealthily, almost silently. They came upon the table and chairs Loki had arranged the night before. The bottle of wine and the glasses, now empty, sat upon it along with the now spent candle. A Jotun strode by them, sending them flying with this hand.

*****************************************

Outside Sigyn's house, Quill stood on the wing of his spacecraft, Thor standing below, having handed a tool up to him as Quill tightened a loose panel he'd noticed the day before.

"That oughtta do it." Quill said, finishing the job and handing the tool back off to Thor before jumping down off the ship's wing. At that moment Loki and Sigyn approached, their hands clasped, both smiling, Loki's face lit up like a child's on Christmas morning.

"Brother!" Loki called out as Thor and Quill turned, "I bring glad tidings..." 

"We could certainly use some of those." Thor responded as he looked at Loki expectantly.

"Sigyn has agreed to be my wife." Loki informed his brother and Quill.

"That must have been some walk!" Quill responded in surprise. Thor, also taken aback at the unexpected news, grabbed Loki in a hug swatting him on the back. 

"Well! These are glad tidings! Congratulations, brother!" Thor exclaimed before moving to Sigyn and embracing her warmly, "And to you as well, sister!"

Sigyn, in Thor's embrace, spotted movement over Thor's shoulder in the distance within the small forest of pines and flashes of blue through the trees. Her smile faded to an expression of alarm and fear. Ending the embrace, she stepped around Thor and took a few more steps past him, continuing to look in the direction of the forest. Thor turned to see what she was looking at as the others also followed her gaze, Loki moving up to stand next to her.

"No..." Sigyn said in disbelief and fear under her breath as the Jotuns emerged from the forest.

"Brother!" Loki shouted in alarm. Thor was already bounding to the ship for Stormbreaker, Quill breaking for the ship as well.

Sigyn continued to stand frozen in terror as the Jotuns barreled across the grassy field, closing the distance between them, before she suddenly turned and sprinted towards the house.

"Sigyn!" Loki called, running after her.

*****************************************

Inside the house, Sigyn scrambled through the front room and into the hallway to the door of her father's bedroom. Throwing open the closet door, she reached up on the shelf, frantically feeling around, knocking sheets and pillowcases onto the floor, before finding that for which she searched, pulling down from the shelf a sword. Loki sped through the doorway, rushing to Sigyn and grabbing hold of her free hand.

"We have to go!" Loki commanded.

"The Gelid! Where is it? We can't let them get it!" Sigyn exclaimed.

"It's safe! Please, my love! Quickly!"

Outside, Quill had powered up the ship and turned it to face the oncoming Jotuns, firing laser blasts in their direction, two of the frost giants falling and rolling across the field as they were hit by the blasts. Others running in a zigzag pattern dodged the blasts and continued making their way across the field as Sigyn and Loki emerged from the house.

Thor jumped from the open hatch to the ground, as Quill had retracted the gangway, gripping Stormbreaker. The God of Thunder raced towards the Jotuns, before propelling himself into the air, Stormbreaker and Thor becoming charged with bolts of lightning. Thor landed on the chest of the nearest oncoming Jotun, knocking it to the ground as he threw Stormbreaker at the next nearest Jotun, the axe burying itself in the Jotun's chest and electrifying him as he dropped dead. Thor quickly recovered his axe, moving on to attack the next Jotun as Quill continued to fire the ship's weapons at the oncoming attackers.

"Get to the ship! Go!" Loki ordered Sigyn as he ran off to join the battle. Sigyn, carrying her father's sword, began sprinting towards the ship as Loki had commanded her.

A Jotun had reached Quill's ship and latched onto one of the wings. The ship tilted as it hovered just off the ground. Quill piloted it upwards and into a speedy turn, throwing the frost giant off and to the ground. The Jotun rolled to a stop just as Quill hit him with a laser blast. Sigyn, realizing she was no longer able to reach the ship, turned her attention to the field of battle. Loki in combat with a Jotun stealthily dodged the Jotun's ice sword as he sent a dagger flying into the frost giant's heart. The giant slumped to his knees before collapsing onto the ground. Loki retrieved his dagger, scanning the battlefield for the next nearest Jotun combatant to take on.

Thor was battling three Jotuns at once. Taking each one down with a stroke of his axe, he again propelled himself in the air, energized with lightning to strike the ground with Stormbreaker, sending charges of electricity out across the field, sending the remaining Jotuns before him to the ground from which they did not rise.

Loki was witnessing Thor finishing off the last visible Jotuns just as Gymir appeared to his rear, bounding towards him, Loki remaining unaware.

"LOKI!!!" Sigyn cried out as she began sprinting towards him gripping the hilt of her father's sword. Just as Loki turned towards the attacking frost giant, Sigyn slid between them brandishing the sword. Sigyn blocked a swipe of the Jotun's sword with her own, fending off multiple blows and slashes, until finally shattering Gymir's ice sword, which was weaker in the warm air. Sigyn's own sword flew from her grasp in the process. Before she could react to recover it the frost giant pulled a dagger from a small sheath at his waist. Before Sigyn realized what was happening, she experienced a sharp pain as Gymir plunged the dagger into her abdomen. Sigyn looked down in shock to see its hilt protruding from her body just below her sternum.

"Sigyn!" Loki called out as he witnessed what had just transpired.

Sigyn peered up into the face of the sneering Gymir. Reaching down, Sigyn removed the dagger from her midsection and quickly thrust it into the upper abdomen of the frost giant, swiftly slicing downwards, gutting him. Gymir looked down at his abdomen to witness his innards spilling out of the wound before collapsing.

Sigyn stared at the dead frost giant for a moment before turning her attention to her own wound, and as if under a spell, stood motionless, staring down at the red spot on the front of her blouse as it spread. As she attempted to take a step forward, her legs became like jelly, failing her as she sank towards the ground. Loki reached her, catching her in his arms as he fell to his knees.

"Sigyn!" Loki stroked her hair moving it out of her face as she stared up at him with fear in her eyes, "Sigyn... no...stay with me...brother!!" Loki cried out urgently, in anguish.

"I couldn't let you die..." Sigyn told Loki, her voice weak.

Loki put his hand on her wound, attempting to slow the bleeding as Thor rushed to their side. 

"Brother..." Loki, unable to say more, looked up at Thor, pleading with his eyes.

"We must slow the bleeding and get her back to New Asgard."

"The dagger...bring it with us." Sigyn told Thor.

Thor pulled the dagger out of the Jotun's corpse as Loki rose with Sigyn in his arms and rushed towards the ship, Thor following behind him.

Quill stood at the opening of the hatch, the gangway now extended. As he witnessed Loki, carrying Sigyn, and Thor running towards the ship he flew to the cockpit and into the pilot's seat. Loki raced up the gangway, Sigyn in his arms, Thor entering only a second after him. Locating the bench seat along the wall by the hatch, Loki sank down onto it cradling the injured Sigyn as Thor retracted the gangway and closed the hatch.

"New Asgard! Go!" Thor called out to Quill who swiftly piloted the ship off the ground and ascended into the air, turning the ship in the direction of New Asgard.

Thor strode to a storage locker along the wall and wrenched it open, pulling out a med kit before racing over to Loki and Sigyn. Throwing it open, he rifled through it.

Sigyn raised her trembling, blood covered hand and examined it.

"I don't think red's my color." she joked, her voice weaker than before.

"I don't recommend that particular shade." Loki replied. They both gave each other a smile, though tempered by the fear and worry in both of their eyes. Loki, gripped her bloody hand tightly.

Thor gently slid Sigyn's blouse up above the wound and quickly examined it. Spraying some type of foamy substance onto it, he placed a thick gauze pad over it.

"Hold that. It should slow the bleeding." Thor said to Loki. Loki released his grip on Sigyn's hand, following Thor's directive.

"Thank you, brother." Loki said, his eyes meeting Thor's. Thor could clearly see the anguish in them. He placed a gentle hand on top of Sigyn's head, then squeezed Loki's shoulder before making his way to the cockpit to join Quill.

Sigyn put the palm of her hand, still red and sticky with her blood, to Loki's cheek.

"It'll be ok, don't worry." she said to him.

"I think that's my line." Loki replied.

"I think you need to hear it more." 

"I'm sorry..." Loki said, his voice on the verge of breaking.

"It's not your fault...I'm so cold..." Sigyn's voice was now barely above a whisper as she began to shiver. Loki, alarmed at how rapidly she appeared to be fading, looked away from her towards the cockpit.

"Can't this bucket of bolts go any faster?!" he roared. Sigyn, her hand still resting on his cheek, turned his head to look back at her.

"He's doing his best. He loves you." Sigyn told him. Loki's expression softened. He couldn't fathom how at such a time as this, she was still concerned with keeping the peace.

"Forgive me, brother." Loki said as he looked into her eyes as she smiled.

"No apologies necessary, brother." Thor said from the cockpit. Loki bent down, placing his lips on Sigyn's forehead, alarmed at how cold her skin felt.

"My brave, loyal Sigyn..."

"I don't want to be alone..." Sigyn said, her voice barely audible.

"I'm here,...I'm not leaving you." Loki assured her before a desperate look came into her eyes as she sensed herself slipping out of consciousness.

"I love you..." She said softly, fighting to get the words out before fading, her eyes closing, her body going completely limp in Loki's arms. Loki was relieved to see that at least she was still breathing.

Quill made it to New Asgard in record time, having stretched the ship to its limits. The ship touched down in a large, open area near the docks. Thor jumped up and moved to the hatch, opening it and extending the gangway. Loki rose with Sigyn in his arms, carrying her from the ship as he followed Thor.

"Make way!" Thor called out, people moving aside as he hurriedly led Loki to the medical clinic housed in a building not far from the docks.

Thor burst into the clinic, Loki rushing in behind him, Sigyn limp in his arms. Blood had seeped onto Loki's clothes as well and there was smudges of blood on his face where she had touched his cheek. Ragna and another Asgardian woman, the clinic's nurse, turned as they entered, rushing to them.

"In here!" Ragna said with urgency, leading them quickly to a large room off the reception area. There was an exam table within it as well as various medical instruments and equipment in view, "What happened?"

"Stabbed, by frost giants, with this." Thor produced the dagger. As Ragna cut away Sigyn's blouse, exposing her abdomen, she removed the blood soaked gauze and examined the wound.

"That's not a Jotun's weapon. It's Angelic. I haven't seen one of those in a very long time. Not since the war. Angelic weapons are forged with Seraphilium. That could be a problem, but I think it nicked the abdominal aorta. That will kill her before Seraphilium would have a chance to. I won't know without getting in there. I'm not set up for major surgery but I'll have to make do." Ragan said before she began to give orders to the other woman who rushed about the room, pulling supplies from cabinets and moving equipment, "She's lost a lot of blood. She's going to need some. I don't have any here. Asgardian and human blood are compatible. I've used it for mortals in emergencies in the last few years. I can do a direct transfusion. Hopefully one of you matches her type."

"I'm not Asgardian." Loki said quietly as he stood by Sigyn, caressing her. The nurse used a small lancet to draw a drop of blood from Thor's arm.

Thor walked over to stand beside Loki and put a hand on his shoulder, sensing Loki's disappointment at his inability to offer Sigyn his own blood. Sigyn slightly stirred, her head lolling to the side, though her eyes remained closed.

"Loki..." Sigyn said softly as if talking in her sleep in the midst of a dream.

"I'm here."

"She's lucky. Thor's a match." Ragna said with relief. 

"If it's blood she needs, then blood she will have." said Thor. Ragna pulled a chair over to the side of the table, Thor sitting down. 

"I need to get in there and stop the bleeding. I need you to wait outside." Ragna said to Loki.

"She mustn't be alone." Loki said. The weight of everything that had happened so quickly had put him into a daze.

"It's alright, brother. I'm with her. Go..." Thor said reassuringly as the nurse walked over and led a reluctant Loki towards the door, he holding onto Sigyn's hand as long as he could. 

As Loki exited the room the nurse closed the door. Loki stood in front of it like a statue for a moment, before placing his palm on it, his head bowed. Moving his hand from the door, Loki lowered his arm to his side, balling his fists, all his fear, anger, and helplessness transformed into a blast of energy that emanated from him, sending potted plants and their stands flying, chairs that had been lined up against the wall tumbling and skidding away and framed pictures on the walls crashing to the floor.


	10. Chapter 10

Loki sat on the floor, his back to the wall across from the surgical suite, his legs askew in front of him, his head hung low, his arms hanging limply with his hands in his lap. He had made quite a mess of that part of the reception area. He was surrounded by dirt from planters and shards of pottery and overturned chairs. He was still covered in her blood though it had dried to a crusty brown on his clothing. His hands were still sticky from it. He hadn't intended to make such a mess, hadn't fully consciously realized what he was doing, all of his emotions had exploded out of him like a release valve. He wondered what would have happened to him internally had he not done so. Would he have exploded? Quite possibly, he thought.

He wondered how long it could possibly take to stitch up an artery. He had no idea. Back on Asgard, open surgeries were rare, they'd had other technologies and methods to deal with major injuries and trauma and that was a relatively rare thing on Asgard itself, though quite often those venturing off world to face various foes returned needing attention. He felt as mortals would feel if they were forced to go back to caves using stone knives. Ragna had been a skilled physician on Asgard and it had not taken her long to adjust to the new way of doing things on Midgard, but Loki was still concerned that the change in circumstances might affect the outcome for Sigyn.

She had only just returned to his life and his memory, yet he couldn't imagine going on without her. She was a part of him now, enmeshed in the fiber of his being. He knew now that she always had been. It wasn't only the love making they'd shared the night before (his head was turned by how quickly things had changed since they'd experienced that bliss) though he knew that had created an even deeper connection. That was exactly why Sigyn had feared it when she had begun to contemplate her status as a mortal and its implications for them. It had felt that way since the moment he had recognized her true identity, as if someone had merely turned off the pause button that had been engaged when she had been exiled and his mother had hidden her existence from him in his own memory banks to spare him his suffering and grief at her loss. If she were lost to him again, this time certainly for the remainder of his lifetime, what version of him would emerge from the wreckage? He feared the answer.

He also contemplated fate and the universe itself. What did it have against him and why? From the moment of his birth, before that actually since he had been born unusually small for a Jotun which was the reason he had been cast aside, it seemed to despise him, to do everything possible to thwart his happiness and determined to make him absolutely miserable, to snatch from him every morsel of anything that could possibly lead him to be satisfied and content. He knew some of what had happened in his life he'd brought on himself, he had known it even that last day of his mother's life when he had acted as if he believed none of it was his doing, but he knew the decisions he had made, the actions he'd taken were in response to other things that were out of his control that exemplified the universe's seeming desire to torture him. Was he cursed even before he was born and thereby everyone that dared care for him by extension?

The door to the surgical suite opened then closed again. Loki, who had been expectantly waiting for that moment for what seemed a lifetime was so drained he didn't even raise his head. As much as he'd anticipated it, he equally dreaded it. As long as that door remained closed there was hope. Once it opened, if the news that came out of it was bad, that hope was irrevocably gone.

Thor looked sympathetically at Loki who sat against the wall so utterly broken. Only twice before in their lives could he recall Loki looking as he did now; the day their mother had died, and the day Sigyn was taken from his life and exiled. Thor stood in front of Loki, glancing around at the damage of Loki's emotional storm.

"Brother..." Loki heard Thor's voice, more gentle than he usually addressed him. His heart sank. That couldn't be a good sign.

"She's dead." Loki responded, his head still hanging.

"She lives." Loki looked up at Thor almost in shock at the news. He had expected the opposite as that would have more aptly fit the pattern of his life. Loki quickly raised himself from the floor, finding a reserve of energy.

'"I want to see her. I need to-" Loki strode quickly towards the door. Thor put out a hand, stopping him.

"Soon. They're almost finished. It will take some time for her to wake. There's more you must know." Thor said.

"She's mortal. She'll need more time to heal. I know that." Loki told Thor impatiently.

"The dagger, as you now know, is an angel's weapon. It acts like a slow poison on the body. They were able to repair the damage from the wound itself. With Asgardian blood in her veins, it's already started to heal. But Seraphillium is dangerous enough for Asgardians, though it is not a certain death, many recovered during the war...but for a mortal..." Thor said. Loki looked at Thor silently, struggling to fully comprehend exactly what he was telling him, "There's no known antidote. She will feel cold, cold as only Jotuns know it and there will be great pain. Ragna says her best hope is to deal with the symptoms, to not let them overwhelm her until her body clears the poison itself. My blood may also help strengthen her against it."

"You're telling me she could still die." Loki said.

"I'm sorry I have no better tidings. This isn't a hospital, there's no beds here. As soon as she's stable we'll move her to your dwelling. We can care for her there."

"What if we 're attacked again? They seem able to appear anywhere."

"I'll talk to Valkyrie. We'll remain vigilant. It's the best we can do." Loki nodded. At least she was still alive. He knew they would get through the rest together.

The door to the surgical suite opened, Ragna wiping her hands on a towel. She moved as Loki quickly walked around Thor into the room and to Sigyn's side. Ragna had removed Sigyn's bloody clothing and dressed her in a surgical gown. She lay covered with a heavy blanket. Unconscious from the anesthesia, she merely appeared to be peacefully sleeping. Loki took her hand, raising it to his lips and kissing it then holding the back of it against his cheek. He could feel her pulse and relished in it.

"I won't lose you, not again." Loki vowed.

*****************************************

In the bedroom of Loki's home in New Asgard, Sigyn continued to slumber. Thor had collected blankets and Valkyrie had sent over more. He knew they would be needed from the description Ragna had given of the side effects she would experience. Ragna had left a supply of pain killing drugs, likely enough to put down a Muspelheim fire dragon, Thor thought. After instructing them on how to administer them, she had warned them to be cautious. They could easily kill her trying to help her.

Loki sat by her bedside, watching her chest rise and fall with each breath and feeling thankful for each but fearful of the possibility that the next wouldn't come. She hadn't awakened from the surgery but considering Ragna had dosed her with the powerful pain killers before she'd left, to deal with both the post surgical pain and that of the side effects of the Seraphillium, that wasn't a suprise. As much as Loki wanted her to wake, to be able to speak with her, hear her voice, he knew it was likely better for her this way. The wound was healing at a greatly accelerated rate, even faster than Ragna had expected with Thor's blood flowing through her veins, which was good news. Days worth of healing had occurred in mere hours. Loki thought back to all the times he had stabbed Thor when they were younger, during pranks, or out of outright anger and jealousy, not overly concerned about doing him any real harm, as he knew that by the evening, it would be little more than a scratch. It wasn't the wound itself that was of concern now.

Thor had brought the record player and records upstairs at Loki's request. Knowing her love for music, even unconscious he thought she may be able to hear something and they may help soothe her and that's what he wanted to do more than anything. He wished he could take this burden from her and upon himself. He wasn't sure what she might like to hear so he had randomly chosen a record and had started it playing the way she had taught him that night, that fateful night Frigga's spell had been broken. He sat listening, continuing to watch each breath. 

"Creedence...good choice. Can't go wrong with them." Quill's voice came from the bedroom doorway. Loki turned his head to see Quill standing there with something in his hand. "So how's the dancing queen?" Quill looked sincerely worried. Loki knew that in the short amount of time since they'd met and been on the island together, she and Quill had grown close over their shared love of Earth's music and a few commonalities in their lives' voyages thus far. He still felt a twinge of jealousy, though he was assured now there was no reason for it. Loki had always had the urge to possess utterly whatever he wished to have or had been given, as if to give any of it away would lead to the complete loss of it, and he had found it difficult to "share" her attentions and affections, as platonic as they may be. However, he also knew this quirky mortal pleased her and he wished for her to be happy.

"She's still yet to awaken." Loki answered. Quill walked over to stand next to where Loki was seated by the bed.

"Sure she'll come round soon. Didn't realize you already had tunes...brought this for her. Put some songs on it from her collection. Got some earbuds for it here or you can hook it up to the speaker. I'll put it over here." Quill set the Zune, earbuds, and a portable speaker on the dresser next to the record player.

"I'm sure she would appreciate it. Thank you."

"She can keep it. Got me a couple other ones. Been pickin' 'em up whenever I ran across 'em out there. Anyway...I'll drop back by later. Gonna sleep on the ship, keep an eye on things. Don't want us gettin' caught with our pants down again." Loki considered telling him he'd probably do more good keeping an eye out in the basement but Sif had rejoined them and taken house duty, sharing shifts with Thor. Valkyrie had put the whole town on alert and assigned watches, but she'd been doing that since the day they were attacked after finding the Gelid.

Not long after Quill had made his exit, as he held it, he felt a tensing of the tendons in Sigyn's hand.

"Sigyn...?" He said quietly as her eyes slowly opened.

"Hmmmm?" Her head lolled heavily to the side facing Loki. She stared at him, he could see the effects of the drugs in her eyes, though they were obviously wearing off.

"There you are." Loki said, smiling, reaching out and caressing her cheek.

"So cold..." she said, the words slightly slurred. She began to shiver as if she had chills.

Loki stood and spread out two more blankets on top of her.

"Let me know if you have need of more." he said as he sat back down. With the additional two, she now had five thick blankets over her. She had curled up on her side in the fetal position and seemed to be trying to burrow her weak body further under the blankets.

"What's wrong with me?" she asked, sounding frightened.

"The blade was contaminated with a poison. You're going to feel very cold and suffer pain until it wears off. I'm here. I'll do whatever I can to help you." he said, downplaying the severity of the situation. She certainly appeared cold but he was thankful with the drugs she seemed not to be experiencing any pain.

That was until around thirty minutes later. Sigyn had dozed off again, Loki by her side, when she suddenly awakened and began to scream...screams the likes of which Loki had not heard before. Even her shrieks of terror at her nightmares as a child paled in comparison.

"Make it stop! Please! Loki! Help me! Make it stop!" Sigyn writhed while still attempting to stay curled up under the blankets. Thor appeared in the doorway having heard the screams from the first floor. Sigyn had reached out in desperation, clutching Loki's arm almost as if she were trying to climb up it out of her pain wracked body. Loki saw Thor in the doorway and turned to him looking terrified and helpless.

"Hold her!" Loki called to Thor who moved quickly over to the bed and half lying next to Sigyn, put his arms around her, holding her still as she continued to cry out in agony.

Loki grabbed a package containing a hypodermic from the nightstand. He hastily tore it open and uncapped the hypodermic . Holding Sigyn's arm in a tight grip, as Ragna had instructed he found a vein, sliding the needle into it. When the needle was empty he withdrew it, tossing it into a container on the nightstand. Sigyn quieted and her body grew limp in Thor's arms. Thor gently re-positioned her and pulled the blankets back over her. Loki looked up at Thor, their eyes meeting. Thor could see the intensity of the fear in Loki's.

"Is that how it will be?" Loki asked, aghast.

"We can hope it lessens with time." Thor replied as Sigyn lay on the bed in a drugged stupor.

"Hope?! That's it?!" Loki exploded at Thor flying into a rage. "Did you not see that? And we're just supposed to hope? Hope is a fickle thing!"

"What more would you have me do?" Thor asked.

"I tried to tell you but you wouldn't listen! I knew what they were capable of! I tried to kill them, every last one of those demented monsters and you stopped me! If you hadn't been so damn altruistic towards creatures who would slice your throat on a whim, they would all be dead now and no longer able to plague us! None of this would ever have happened!" Loki exploded.

"Brother, I know how you feel-" Thor said, attempting to calm his brother's rage.

"You have no idea how I feel! How could you? It isn't your Jane lying there, is it? It isn't your Jane dying!"

"She almost did once! You were there! Do you not remember?" Thor shot back.

"It wasn't like this! She wasn't screaming in anguish as if every fiber of her being were being set alight! Had she died, she would have at least done so peacefully! I had foreseen the danger of those monsters and tried to prevent it years ago! And for that I am despised! You lauded a hero! And now here we are!" Loki turned from Thor crossing his arms across his chest, brooding.

"Please...please stop...don't fight." Sigyn's voice came from the bed, barely above a whisper They both turned to see her lying on her side, almost on her stomach, her arm stretched out, she had tried to crawl out of the blankets to Loki hoping to end his tirade but was so drugged and weak she was unable to move further. She was only now half covered with the blanket and shivering. Loki rushed to her side and sat next to her on the bed, moving the blankets back over her and holding her close to him so that she was lying in the crook of his arm. He took her hand, gripping it as he held it against his chest.

"I'm sorry, my love." said Loki apologetically.

"I'm dying..." she said.

"I won't let that happen." Loki reassured her.

"You can't stop it." she said softly, her eyes closed, heavily drugged. Loki knew for all his reassurances that she was right. If she were to die, there was nothing he could possibly do. He was a man of action and there was no possible action he could take to change the outcome.

"I will take my leave." Thor said, leaving the two to be alone.

"I know all seems dark now, but the sun will shine on us again." Loki told Sigyn as he continued to hold her. He had said the same to Thor shortly before Thanos had snapped his neck the future part of him recalled, He had been right in the end, though it had been a long and convoluted road to get there, but now the storm clouds were surging once again.

"You must be ready to let me go."

"Never!"

"You must...or this will never end."

*****************************************

Sigyn had suffered more episodes the first night and second day, as bad if not worse than the first. Quill had been present for one of them, helping to hold her as Thor had done, though not nearly as effectively, but working together he and Loki had gotten the job done. Witnessing it had deeply disturbed Quill. He had continued to hold her after the drugs had taken effect, talking to her, attempting to soothe her in his way, telling stories and cracking jokes. The way he had held her seemed a touch too intimate for Loki's liking, but he had little physical or mental energy left to intervene. At least the man hadn't referred to her as poultry. 

Loki grew increasingly afraid of giving her too much of the drugs too soon. She was at the maximum safe dose as it was and it was barely getting her through. There was only one silver lining. There was a short period of time between episodes where the drugs had metabolized enough to allow her to interact almost normally, but still held the worst of the pain at bay. It only lasted around thirty minutes, but it was something. The pain meds didn't seem to help much with the cold she felt, however. That was a seeming constant. How long could she endure? How long could he for that matter?

Ragna had stopped by to check on her patient. She didn't seem surprised at the frequency or intensity of the episodes. She had expected it to be far harder for a mortal to endure and survive. However, there was a bright spot, a glimmer of hope. Out of curiosity, she had been researching inter-species subjects considering it looked as if Asgard would permanently become a part of Midgard and live among mortals and had tested samples of Sigyn's tissue she had from the surgery and more she had taken in the hours afterward. Unlike the other mortals whom she had given Asgardian blood in the past, whose bodies had eventually broken down the Asgardian blood's components, Sigyn seemed to be assimilating it, her physiology somehow absorbing it into her genetic make up. Her wound was now little more than a shallow cut. Ragna had already removed the stitches. That could, if she managed to make it through another day, maybe two, prove the difference. All Ragna could think of for an explanation was that Sigyn's mortal body had been formed by Angels instead of bred in the womb and perhaps that process itself included a mechanism for such a response. 

After nightfall, Sigyn had again reached another one of her lucid periods. She lay now under a pile of blankets, her head on Loki's chest, his arms around her, attempting to keep her warm with only limited success. He was surprised when she moved her head from his chest and kissed him. She still seemed slightly drugged, but it was more that of someone who had imbibed in an extra glass or two of wine than a heroin addict after a binge.

"Make love to me." she said softly, kissing him again.

"As much as that invitation appeals to me-"

"You know what's going to happen, what must happen. When it does...it may be a very long time until we're together again. It will keep me warm, even if only for a little while."

"Are you certain?" She kissed him passionately in reply. He couldn't resist her, her kiss, her touch. As he took her, her cries were not of anguish.

*****************************************

Sigyn had been right, to an extent. He'd held her in his arms without the slightest shiver for at least twenty minutes. He hoped against hope that maybe it was like a fever breaking, perhaps the worst had passed. His hopes were dashed however when he felt her body, which had been fully and blissfully relaxed, begin to tense.

"Is it starting again?" he asked. Her eyes squeezed closed in pain as she fought crying out in the early throes that gripped her, she nodded. Loki rose from the bed with the intention of seeking the assistance of Sif or Thor.

"No..." Sigyn said through gritted teeth.

"It will be easier-"

"No! Just you!" Sigyn said insistently as she grabbed the post of the bed with one hand and held out her other arm. "Please...hurry..."

As Loki located a vein and slid the needle into her arm, a wave of pain struck her. Struggling not to move the arm in which Loki was injecting her, Sigyn put all her strength into the other. The small wooden bedpost she gripped broke off in her hand and dropped to the floor. Loki, just then removing the empty hypodermic from her arm looked on in amazement. Sigyn's body slumped as she relaxed, almost unconscious. Returning to the bed, Loki arranged the pile of blankets back over her and moved her limp body into his arms.

*****************************************

The next day was almost a carbon copy of the day before. From morning to night, the pain came. Sigyn's periods of lucidity were growing shorter. The medication supply was beginning to run low. Loki was beside himself. She was slowly dying in front of him and there was nothing, absolutely nothing, he could do. No tricks his mother taught him or that he'd learned by his own study was of any use. All that he knew had failed him at the most important moment of his life. 

By mid afternoon of the next day, it was becoming painfully clear that the battle was lost. Every ounce of fight in Sigyn had been wrung out of her. Even as the pain enveloped her, she no longer had the strength to cry out. Thor had made the decision to remain in the room most of the day with Loki. When the end came, and he feared it would be soon, he didn't wish him to be alone. Quill checked in periodically though he seemed unable to bring himself to remain for long. It reminded him too much of another event in his life, another death vigil for someone that Sigyn reminded him of very much.

Loki left Sigyn's side to put another record on for her as the last had ended. It was the same one she had said was her favorite, a copy of which her father had abusively wrenched from her and broken. The first song on side two began to play, her song she had called it. As the familiar piano intro began, Loki thought back to that day only weeks before. He had failed. Just as he had failed at everything else he'd ever tried to do...to be deserving of becoming King of Asgard, to destroy the Jotuns, to rule earth, to end Thanos. He had failed his beloved mother, he had failed Sigyn.

He returned to the bed and took her in his arms once again. She lay against him, her head on his chest as he stroked her hair. She had not spoken for hours when he heard her voice.

"I'm not alone."

"No, my love, you're not alone. I'm here." Loki replied.

"I'll be waiting for you." she said softly.

He felt her go, the energy pass from her body as it went limp against him. The comfort and peace he felt in her presence, especially with physical contact, was gone. Even though he knew it was close, when the moment came he wasn't ready. He sat holding her, looking down at her, in silent shock before finally finding his voice.

"Brother!" he called out to Thor who sat in an armchair along the wall. Thor, who had been on the verge of dozing, jumped up and to the bed, gently holding her as Loki slid out of the bed before easing her down onto the pillow. Thor felt the side of her neck for a pulse as Loki collapsed to his knees taking her hand and bowing his head, resting his forehead against it. Quill appeared in the doorway, having heard Loki's cry out for his brother.

"She dances now in Valhalla." Thor said as he gently placed his hand on her head for a moment.

"Damn!" Quill said quietly before leaving the doorway and disappearing from sight.

Thor moved around the bed to Loki's side and lay a comforting hand on Loki's shoulder.

"Do you wish me to leave you or would you like me to stay?" Thor asked.

"What would I like?..." Loki said quietly, still sitting with his head bowed, eyes closed, holding Sigyn's hand, continuing to rest his forehead against it, "What I would like is for you to suffer as she suffered. You...who saved those murderous wretches. For that I would like you to DIE!" Loki quickly rose and sent a blast of energy at Thor that knocked him off his feet and against the far wall. Thor sat stunned at the unexpected attack as he witnessed Loki take Sigyn's body in his arms and exit the room.

Quill was rushing back up the steps, having heard the commotion above when Loki appeared carrying Sigyn. Loki sent another blast of energy at Quill, sending him flying off the steps onto his back. Loki strode past him and out of the house.

Loki made his way down the middle of the road with Sigyn's corpse. Windows of cars and buildings began to shatter, exploding, raining glass down onto the sidewalk below. People frantically attempted to shelter themselves from the falling shards of glass. Loki with Sigyn in his arms continued on the road out of New Asgard.

*****************************************

Outside the limits of New Asgard, Loki reached a wide open field. Rocks cropped up from the ground in various places, the grass swayed in the breeze, small flowers dotted the landscape. He laid Sigyn's body down gently in the grass.

"ABADDON! I know you can hear me! ABADDON!" Loki cried out in primal anger. He looked around for any sign of Abaddon, preparing to call out once more.

"She has finally succumbed. I'm surprised she held out this long." Abaddon said from behind Loki. Loki turned to face Abaddon, stepping forward.

"I am Loki, Prince of Asgard, rightful king of the Jotunheim. I have something you want."

"I can't bring her back from the dead, if that's what you're hoping for."

Loki put his hands out in front of his chest, palms up, close together. The Gelid appeared resting in his hands. Loki began to transform into his Jotun form. Abaddon stared at the Gelid.

"Her death has awakened me to my weakness. I want what's rightfully mine. It is my birthright." Loki said, his voice hard and cold.

"I believe we may be able to come to an arrangement."


	11. Chapter 11

Loki strode beside Abaddon across the frozen wasteland of Jotunheim, Loki carrying the Gelid which brought about a change in his appearance to his Jotun form. He recalled the day years ago when Thor in his youthful pride and foolishness had decided to confront the Jotuns for their attempt to regain the Casket of Ancient Winters from Odin's vault on Asgard, disrupting what was to have been his coronation. Of course, Loki was the one that had set up the whole thing, knowing full well that the Jotuns had little to no chance of succeeding, but it would ruin his brother's big day, which he had believed should have been his. The last time he had set foot on this frozen rock was when he had afterwards schemed the eventual demise of his true father, Laufey, by luring him to Asgard to attempt to murder Odin in his bed.

The current King of the Jotuns was Laufey's brother, Loufrir. When Abaddon had appeared on Jotunheim unexpectedly he was intrigued. Angels had not been seen openly in any of the other nine realms since Odin had cast them out and limited their ability to leave Heven, destroying their version of Bifrost after the war. He was much more interested in the offer Abaddon had made...help the angels retrieve the Gelid, harness its power to rebuild and charge the Ladder, their means of transport between worlds, and the Gelid would be theirs. They could once again become powerful and create their own frosty empire in alliance with the Angels. As Asgard was no more, the way was open for anyone with the ambition to conquer and rule.

As Loki and Abaddon reached the throne where Loufrir sat, the Jotun king looked down upon Loki with scorn.

"As promised, your highness, the Gelid has been recovered." Abaddon addressed Loufrir, bowing. Loufrir stood and stepped forward from his throne looking down on the two men.

"Good. Very good. But why does this traitorous wretch bear it?" Loufrir made a gesture with his hand. Four Jotun guards moved forward, surrounding Loki. Loki lowered himself, kneeling before Loufrir as he spoke.

"Hear me out, great king, then you may do with me what you will. All you have heard are the lies of our enemies. It was Odin who manipulated me to murder my own father and attack Jotunheim with the Bifrost to end the war Thor was responsible for starting. My true heritage had been kept a secret from me. Odin took me with the intention that I was to be used as a pawn in your eventual destruction. Once I discovered the truth I was cast out. Since that day I have thought only of how to bring about the destruction of Asgard. It was I that released Surtur, I who now bring you the greatest treasure of Jotunheim of my own free will. There is only one thing I ask in return."

Loufrir listened to Loki, contemplating his words.

"What is it you want from me?" Loufrir asked.

"I wish only to rejoin my people and for this realm to again be the great power it once was. I am no traitor, uncle..." The actual Loki, in his Asgardian form, now dressed in a sleek, black tunic, gold angelic symbols adorning it, appeared unbeknownst to Loufrir behind him, running him through with a sword. Loki's avatar kneeling before him vanished, "I am the son of Laufey, King of the Jotunheim!" Loki exclaimed.

As he withdrew the sword, Loufrir fell to the snowy, frozen ground before the throne. Loki dropped the sword onto Loufrir's corpse and materialized the Gelid in his hands, transitioning into his Jotun form. The four Jotun guards and other Jotuns present before the throne stood in shock and confusion.

"Kneel!" Loki roared.

The Jotuns, following his command, kneeled before Loki as looked upon them with an expression of satisfaction.

******************************

"So, what now?" Valkyrie asked, sitting in the front room of what had once been Loki's abode. Thor, Sif, Quill, and Dr. Strange had gathered, Strange having informed Valkyrie of Loki's alliance with Abaddon that he had learned of through his magical sources of intelligence.

"I don't get it. They're why she's dead. Why would he join them? When I found out Thanos-" Quill paused unable to say 'killed Gamora.' He also noticed everyone in the room stiffen at the mention of the Mad Titan's name, "All I wanted to do was rip Grimace's guts out and stuff 'em down his throat."

"Grief has unhinged him. He blames me for her death. I once stopped him from destroying Jotunheim. He believes had I not done so, she would still be alive. For the moment, at least, I am his greatest enemy in his mind. He likely has no true allegiance with them, he is more likely merely hoping to use them to get to me. He knows it's unlikely that he could slay me himself. He tried and failed many times in the past." 

"He must know she wouldn't have wanted that." Sif said.

"What she would have wanted is immaterial to him now. He is fueled by his rage." Thor responded.

"What do you think his next move will be?" Valkyrie inquired. Thor looked contemplative for a moment.

"I cannot say. His mind is as far afield now as it was when he once tried to conquer this realm years ago. Trust me when I say that I am not his only target, but also anything and anyone I hold dear. I consider this realm under my protection. He believed he was charged with protecting Sigyn, therefore he will also try to destroy that which I feel a duty to protect."

"An eye for an eye." Dr. Strange replied, "It makes sense. The Loki that returned to our timeline is the Loki who had escaped from you in the branch timeline after New York. Those memories, who he was then, would be freshest in his mind even with the memories of his future self that he somehow gained when he crossed into this timeline."

"That doesn't answer the question of what we should do about it." said Sif.

"There's not much to be done but remain vigilant until he gives us a hint to his next move. Unfortunately, he is masterful at keeping his intentions hidden. We may get no such clue before he is already upon us." Thor said.

******************************

Loki and Abaddon had made their return to the realm of Heven from their excursion to Jotunheim. Loki upon first arriving had looked over the realm with wonder. It was much like Asgard in many respects, perhaps even more beautiful. Most of its buildings appeared to be formed of crystal, throwing rainbows in the daylight, sunlight glistened gold over the clear waters. 

The people, however, were a different story. They did not seem to enjoy the same joy and contentment as those of Asgard. They were self absorbed, vain, suspicious, and fearful. Queen Loriel ruled them with a heavy hand. Her forces were on constant alert for any dissension or what she considered wrongdoing and those guilty quickly found themselves for the axe. For all its beauty, Heven was not what it once had been. There was much want among its people, parts of it had not been rebuilt since the war many centuries past. Like Asgard, it had been a defender of peace before Loriel gained influence, culminating in her usurping the throne and executing the former Queen. The Angels began manipulating those of other realms, Midgard among them, and those of other worlds outside the realms for their own nefarious ends and rounding up and murdering those who did not come from a pure angelic bloodline. Its power had been stripped by Odin after losing the war with Asgard and it had been left isolated and shunned by those who even recalled its existence.

Loki had been given quarters in the great crystal palace of Queen Loriel. He still retained the Gelid as the new King of the Jotunheim, what they needed to realize their plans for the other realms and the universe in general. He had yet to have an audience with her, though it had been two weeks since his arrival. She was sending Loki a message by forcing him to wait, that though he held what they wanted and thus he should have the upper hand in negotiations, ultimately she held power here.

Loki stood by the window in his quarters, looking out over the great city with a melancholy expression. He turned his head as the chime at the door sounded like the ringing of crystal.

"Enter." Loki called, turning his attention back to the window. Abaddon entered, standing a few feet behind him, Loki viewing his reflection in the glass, "Abaddon. I must assume your disruption of my solitude can only mean that you have something of import to tell me."

"Queen Loriel has agreed to meet with the King of the Jotunheim this afternoon. I will return to accompany you at the appointed time." Abaddon announced.

"Very well. Is that all?"

"For the moment," Abaddon turned to towards the door, then back to again address Loki, "May I ask why you continue to keep her here? Queen Loriel finds it strange. It may not be wise to give her reason to question your intentions."

Loki bowed his head, still facing the window.

"She is a reminder to me to never allow myself to ever again become so weak, to never allow anyone to again lead me to forget my destiny or to put anyone else before it. As a child, my love for her caused me to acquiesce to her mewling for peace. I did not fight for what I deserved, for what should have been mine in order to please her. When others derided me, I did not stand up to them and put them in their place, I allowed her to defend me. As a result, Odin viewed me as weak and not suited for the throne." Loki explained.

"It does not surprise me. She descended from weakness, those who did not understand that you cannot have peace without the power to keep it. It is well that her line's rule was ended and neither her mother nor she will ever take the throne. Her mother was the weakest of all, denigrating herself with another outside her kind. That was when Loriel knew it must end. Our purity is our power." said Abaddon.

"Tell your Queen she has no cause to question my intentions. You did me a great favor by ridding me of her. Otherwise I would not now hold the throne which is my birthright."

Abaddon bowed his head and exited Loki's quarters. Loki continued to stand, staring out the window for a few more moments, before he turned from it and crossed the room to a door. Sliding the door open, Loki entered, closing and locking it behind him. Music filled the room, Earth music, a tune by one of Sigyn's favorite musicians, Buddy Holly, singing of how he was crying, waiting and hoping for a lost lover to return to him.

On the far side of the room sat a bier. Next to the bier sat a small table, on it the Zune and speaker Quill had gifted to Sigyn. On top of the bier sat a clear, crystal casket encased in a thick block of ice. Loki stood by the door for a few moments before he made his way to the casket, peering down through the ice. Within it, dressed in a blue gown, lay the body of Sigyn. Loki placed a hand on top of the ice, resting it there for a few moments with an expression of longing, before turning and walking slowly to the door and exiting.

******************************

Down a long, bright white corridor Loki walked in between two sets of angelic guards, carrying the Gelid in front of him and once again transitioned into his Jotun form as Abaddon led the way to the throne room. Abaddon, as usual, was dressed all in white garb, the guards in identical white uniforms. Loki sporting black stood out among them. Two female angels wearing flowing gold gowns opened the tall, ornate golden doors of the throne room as they approached.

The throne room was even larger than Odin's had been. It too was covered in gold embellishments, the ceiling painted in a mural of blue skies and clouds. The floor looked to be pure white marble. Columns rose to the ceiling creating a center aisle to the throne. The throne itself was exquisite, covered in gold and crystal, two large angel wings of gold extending from each side.

Loriel sat on the throne dressed formally in a long sky blue flowing gown, a gold cincher at the waist tied with tassels that hung down the front of the skirt. A cape was attached to the gown at the shoulders, the edges embroidered with gold thread in angelic symbols. She wore a winged crown of gold, a large crystal in the center that glistened in a rainbow of colors. Her snow white, long wavy hair cascaded past her shoulders.

Loki's party reached the presentation area before the throne, all falling to their knees before it. Loriel made a gesture with her hand and the guards rose and walked back down the aisle, leaving only Loki and Abaddon, still kneeling.

"You may rise." Loriel said to the two men. Loriel sat silent for a moment, looking Loki over after he had risen to his feet, "You may speak." 

"My Queen, I present to you Loki Laufeyson, King of the Jotunheim. He possesses the Gelid."

"I see. In exchange for its use, what do you seek in return?" Loriel queried.

The Gelid in Loki's hands suddenly vanished, a dagger replacing it in his left hand. Swiftly and without a word, Loki's left arm shot out to his side, his eyes not leaving the Queen, stabbing Abaddon through the side of his throat. Abaddon began to make choking and gurgling noises, his eyes wide, as blood began to run down the front of his white suit. Loki withdrew the dagger, Abaddon falling to the floor now deceased.

Guards that had been standing on either side of the throne room began to rush towards Loki who had now regained his Asgardian form. Loriel waved them off. She didn't appear disturbed in the least by what she had just witnessed.

"The seat at your right hand. It appears the position has just opened up." Loki answered with an evil smirk.


	12. Chapter 12

Queen Loriel descended gracefully down a white marble stairway, the train of her gown flowing down the steps behind her, the fretwork of the railings ornately worked gold, sunlight streaming from a large skylight above causing all to seem to glow. Loki descended the stairway at her side, though a step behind. His gamble had paid off.

"I have not visited the vaults in some time. I've had no cause to do so. It has been long since I first appointed Abaddon to his post and I brought him here." Loriel explained.

"The time had come then for new blood." Loki stated.

"Yes...I had been considering that possibility myself before you relieved me of having to trouble myself with it." said Loriel.

"I have always been a man of action." Loki declared.

"That much is evident."

The two reached the bottom of the stairway and stood in a columned chamber. Large golden doors stood opposite them, a male angel sentry stood still as a statue and silent in front of them holding a sword by the hilt, the point of the blade resting on the marble floor. Loriel gestured to the guard who sheathed his sword and turned with his back to them, opening the double doors before stepping aside. Loriel entered the vault followed by Loki.

"Within this vault are the treasures of Heven," Loriel informed Loki as she led him past cut crystal statues of winged angels, closed jeweled chests, amulets, rings, and other objects each sitting on pedestals, "Each has its power and its purpose and its history."

Loki had stopped next to a pedestal containing a flat topped gold chest. Carved into the chest was the image of what looked to be open gates with light streaming from behind them. Queen Loriel walked up next to Loki looking down at the chest as well.

"You have a keen eye." Loriel said.

"What is it?" Loki asked. He could sense an other worldly power exuding from the chest. Loriel opened it, revealing what looked to be a golden ram's horn carved with runic symbols.

"It has many names. You may be most familiar with its Asgardian moniker...the Horn of Naglfar."

"I was told the stories as a child, yes." Loki responded.

"So then you know of its power...and its danger. It has not been used since the days of King Buri, Odin's grandfather. It is better for the living that the dead remain so. Heven was entrusted with its safekeeping by Buri after he learned this lesson firsthand. He won the battle but lost many of his warriors afterwards, seeking to join those who they had then lost for a second time upon their return to Valhalla. It is hard to grieve the same loss twice." Loriel spoke, telling the story of the relic's history.

"Very true." replied Loki. He knew that fact well and had experienced it more than once. He recalled the night his mother's spirit had visited him, how he had pleaded with her to take him with her, and now for the second time Sigyn was also lost to him. He recalled the story of the Horn of Naglfar from his memory banks. Buri, his adopted great grandfather, had used it to call up the dead from Valhalla to put an end to a long war. After the dead he had summoned with the horn had returned to Valhalla, he awoke the next morning to find that many of his men had taken their own lives. It was not just his mother who had told him the story when tucking him into bed as a child. He had been reminded of it much more recently.

Loriel closed the case and walked on, Loki following. She stopped at another pedestal, this one holding a sapphire blue case lined with rich gold velvet. It sat open and empty.

"As I have told you, this vault contains the treasures of Heven, but not all of them. One is missing. The Salom Stone is what enables us to store and transfer our essence from our angelic bodies into our observers and messengers in the realms and across the universe. Without it, we can no longer do so. It is imperative that it be returned. The Ladder is just one part of building our empire and recapturing our glory. It was taken by the traitor Lailah...mother to your Sigyn. When she was dispatched, it was not found in her possession, physical or ethereal. I can only surmise that she attached it to her daughter when she sent her to Midgard." Loriel explained.

"I may be of assistance in this matter. I recall seeing a stone in her possession, though only the one time. She did not speak of it. I believe I know where it may be found but it will necessitate my return to Midgard." Loki told Loriel. 

"You have your first commission then. I await your return. Do not disappoint me."

******************************

Loki walked across the grass of Sigyn's island where their battle with the frost giants had taken lace. The corpses of the defeated Jotuns lay where they had fallen. The stench of rotting flesh was overpowering. Loki walked up to one of the bodies, flies buzzing around their feast. The Jotun's blue skin had taken on a more teal color. He peered down at it a moment before he began dragging it towards the center of the field.

The last body Loki approached was that of Gymir. He lay on his side, his innards hanging out of the wound in his abdomen which were now dried and withered and covered with insects. Loki looked down on the body with not just the disgust of viewing a decaying corpse, but also seething anger. He looked over to his right and noticed a pool of brown, dried blood on the grass, Sigyn's blood. The moment replayed in his mind, the moment her fate had been sealed and also his own.

Loki located the sword Sigyn had brandished in her valiant fight against Gymir and stepped over to it, lifting it from the ground. Striding over to Gymir and with a quick stroke of the sword, he detached Gymir's head from his body. As there was no hair to grasp, Loki carried it by the bony protrusions to the edge of the island, staring out over the sea below that stretched out as far as he could see into the distance, the waves crashing on the rocks. With an animalistic cry of rage, Loki hurled Gymir's head far out into the water before returning to Gymir's corpse, dragging it to join the rest.

Loki stood in front of the pile of decaying bodies, closing his eyes, deep in concentration. As he held his hands out towards it, the mass of corpses burst into flame, the flames growing as they consumed the dead tissue. Smoke began to rise, the putrid scent of burning, rotting meat contaminating the air.

That task he had set for himself completed, Loki returned to the house. The door was standing partially open. In their rush to leave, no one had thought to shut it. Loki stepped inside cautiously, examining the interior for any sign of danger, before he closed the door behind him. It looked as it had the last day they were there. A couple of dishes remained in the sink from Quill and Thor's breakfast the day of the attack. He and Sigyn had never gotten around to eating that morning, so excited was he to announce the news of their shared future...what should have been their shared future. He had been happy, truly, completely happy and satisfied for perhaps the first time in his life even without a throne which he had never before thought possible, and even with the threat they faced. The universe had seen this and it had said no, as it had to him so many times before.

He crossed through the front room to the hallway leading to the bedrooms and bathroom. He peeked into what had been Sigyn's father's bedroom, the closet door still standing open, sheets and pillowcases which had been on the shelf in the closet spread on the floor where Sigyn had knocked them off feeling around for her father's sword.

He entered the bathroom across the hall, turning on the faucet and washing the vile scent of rot off of his hands. Catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror above the sink, Loki examined at his reflection. He could swear he looked centuries older. He stared into his own eyes as if they belonged to someone else. He felt like someone else. He knew now he was someone else and would be forever after if he failed yet again.

Loki entered Sigyn's bedroom. It was still piled high with boxes of vinyl records and cassette tapes and CDs, though she and Quill had not gotten around to cataloging the last. Quill had decided to put the CDs off as he was unfamiliar with most of the artists. Loki approached the window and opened it. He could smell the smoke and stench of the pyre of frost giant bodies he had set alight. He stepped over to the box of records on the floor next to the dresser and flipped through a few before pulling out a random one and reading the title, 'Bobby Darin's Greatest Hits.' Removing the record from the cover and putting it on the turntable, Loki gently moved the needle to the record. Instruments began to blare from the speakers. Loki listened for a few moments, finding that he liked the tune and found it fitting as the singer crooned about ships and sailing and a lover waiting on golden sands beyond the sea.

Loki noticed a notebook sitting next to the stereo. Curious, he opened it expecting to see a rundown of all the titles of the albums Sigyn and Quill had been working to catalog. The notebook was very old, the pages yellowed. Instead, in Sigyn's handwriting on the top line in large letters was written, "My List." On the lines below was written a list of things Sigyn had dreamed of doing but had never done. Only a few had lines through them. He wondered how long ago she started writing her list considering the notebook's obvious age.

Loki read down through them until he reached one in particular. It read, "make love" then in parenthesis behind it, "but only with someone I love that loves me." It had been crossed through. He remembered her grabbing the notebook upon their return their last night on the island as he had changed for bed and had thought little of it. She had a notebook in her hands so often those days while going through her collection. She had talked of this list, but he had always thought it was a mental one, he had never actually seen it written down. She had lived as many centuries as he, yet so many that she never drew a line through. He closed the notebook, replacing it where he had found it.

Loki turned the volume of the record player as high as it would go before moving to the window and climbing out of it, standing on the window sill. He pulled himself up onto the roof of the house where he sat looking out over the sea an, listening to the end of the song that played and waiting as the fire he had set continued to rage, consuming the corpses in the field.

******************************

It was nearing sunset as Thor and Quill sat in the cockpit of Quill's ship parked near the docks, watching the daily activities of the people of New Asgard and keeping an eye out for any sign of possible trouble. It could be anything...frost giants, The Order of Jormungandr (though they hadn't heard a peep from them since the boat incident), Angels, or Loki himself and could come from any direction. Loki had been gone for two weeks at this point and all had been quiet, but Thor knew his brother well and was sure that it wouldn't remain so peaceful. It had been some time as well between Loki's drop from the Bifrost and his reappearance in S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters seeking the Tesseract and wreaking havoc.

"Why do you think he took her with him? I mean, he must have." Quill asked. It was a question he'd been pondering for the last two weeks but had come up empty of theories. It bothered Quill to think that Sigyn didn't get a proper burial or some other such send off. Even though it had been thrown together, he had made sure that Yondu had gotten one and she'd been far more pleasant to him than Yondu had been, though in the end, the only father figure he had known had shown his true feelings for Quill that he had believed he had to obfuscate for so long to appear tough and retain his authority over his crew.

"I don't know. I cannot begin to imagine." Thor replied. 

Thor would have understood had Loki taken off with her in the madness of grief to mourn her alone but that was ultimately not what had occurred. She had been half Asgardian, had lived solely on Asgard before her exile. Though she had been reborn in mortal form, she still should have received the respect of a proper Asgardian funeral in his opinion. The last he had witnessed had been his mother's and that of the other victims of the dark elves' attack on Asgard. She was to have joined the family after all and aside from Loki, who appeared to once again despise him and want him dead, Thor had no family left.

Behind them in the ship the golden sparks of a portal appeared, Dr. Strange stepping swiftly through.

"He's here. He's on Earth." Dr. Strange announced. Quill and Thor turned in their seats.

"Where?" Thor asked.

"The island." Strange replied.

"I will gather the party-" Thor said, rising.

"I'm afraid time may be of the essence. This may be our only shot at catching him by surprise. Let's go." Strange said.

Thor and Quill left their seats, Thor grabbing Stormbreaker and placing it on his back as they approached Strange.

"Do you need...?" Thor said, touching his hair.

"No, not this time. I'm not trying to zero you in on a specific relative in an entire country."

Thor reached over and plucked a strand of hair from Quill's head.

"Ow!" Quill exclaimed.

"Here you are anyway." Thor said grinning, holding the short strand of hair out to Dr. Strange who took it from him before dropping it and opening another portal. They three could see the inside of the pine forest where the frost giants had emerged before their attack on the island through the portal."

"After you." Strange said. Thor and Quill stepped through, Strange following.

The three men emerged within the pine forest, near its edge, Sigyn's house was visible in the distance. Smoke wafted through the air across the field between it and them.

"Damn! What is that smell?" Quill said plugging his nose, appearing nauseated. Thor looked off to the left towards the middle of the field, following the direction the smoke was coming from.

"He's burning the bodies of the frost giants." Thor answered. It seemed strange to him that Loki would go to the trouble. He couldn't imagine why.

"Do you hear that?" Quill asked. The sound of music reached them from the direction of the house, "You don't think..." Quill said with a touch of hope in his voice.

"I only picked up on his presence, no others with him." Strange said, Quill looking crestfallen.

"What mischief is he up to?" Thor wondered aloud.

"No time like the present to find out." Quill said starting forward. Thor grabbed his arm, holding him back.

"Follow me at a distance. I will speak with him alone. Perhaps I can reason with him." Thor told Quill.

"Has that ever worked before?" Strange asked cynically.

"No, not that I recall. There's always a first time for everything." Thor answered before beginning the trek out of the forest and across the field towards the house. 

As Thor approached the house the music grew louder, the Bobby Darin song, 'Mack the Knife." Thor thought he had perhaps heard it before in his time on Midgard but wasn't certain. 

Thor crept up to the door, slowly pushing it open, hoping any squeaking of the hinges would be disguised by the loud music. Loki stood in the middle of the front room, his back to the door looking as if he were reading something he held in his hands. Thor crept in stealthily. He'd changed his mind. He'd subdue Loki first, talk later. The music continued to blare from the end of the hall originating from Sigyn's bedroom.

Thor made his move, rushing Loki with a sound like a battle cry. Loki turned, his face reflecting surprise and shock as he dropped the notebook in his hand. As Thor reached out to tackle Loki, his wayward brother's form vanished. Thor's momentum propelled him against the wall, causing a shockwave that knocked over the shelves of old VCR tapes, sending them flying and scarttering across the floor.

As the music ended, Loki flipped down off the roof over the door and stood in the doorway, looking in at Thor with an expression of disgust mixed with disbelief.

"Really? Are you ever not--never mind. Don't answer that." Loki said to Thor. Thor picked himself up from where he had come to rest on the floor against the far wall.

"Loki-" Thor began before Loki cut him off.

"You would think after all these centuries you would have learned that not everything is always as it appears." Loki told him.

"What are you doing here?" Thor asked.

"The stores were all closed." Loki answered.

Thor looked at Loki uncomprehendingly as Dr. Strange and Quill rushed towards Loki. Loki turned towards them, stopping them in their tracks as he extended his arm, producing a dagger, pointing the blade in their direction.

"I knew you had come. I saw the rings of smoke through the trees and the voices of those who stand looking." Strange and Quill stared at Loki in confusion.

"Loki...brother...I know that you feel as if the sun will never shine again-" Thor said as he began to make his way across the front room towards the door and Loki, his hands out in front of him as a gesture signifying that he wished to do Loki no harm.

"The piper will call you to join him." Loki said to the others before producing a metallic cylinder, milky crystals on either end. The three men watched as Loki was surrounded by a pink-violet light, disappearing.

Thor exited the house to join Strange and Quill, all three appearing perplexed.

"What the hell was that?" Quill asked.

"He is truly unhinged. I could make no sense of any of it." Thor replied.

"He knew we would come. He wanted us to come." Strange said, looking deep in thought.

"For what purpose?" Thor asked.

"Wait..." Quill said then snapped his fingers, "They're lyrics...song lyrics!" Dr. Strange looked at Quill for a moment, his expression changing as if a light bulb had gone off in his own mind.

"Stairway to Heaven!" both Quill and Dr. Strange said in unison.

"He was trying to give us a message," said Strange, "A warning or a threat?"

"Perhaps both." Thor replied.

******************************

In Loki's quarters in the palace on Heven, music filled the room as Loki stood in front of the casket containing Sigyn's body as he held the Salom stone in his hand. It reflected the light, almost glowing, throwing off prisms that reflected off the ice.

Loki closed his hand around the stone, at the same time closing his eyes in concentration. He opened his hand, again revealing the stone. A green cast enveloped it which then faded. Loki closed his hand around the stone once again before turning and exiting the room, sliding the door closed behind him.


	13. Chapter 13

Thor sat among the other potential defenders of Asgard, Sif, Valkyrie, Quill and Dr. Strange, in the common hall of New Asgard. Loki's brief reappearance on Earth, seemingly for no other purpose than to pass on either a veiled message or threat that was surely soon to come to fruition had precipitated their gathering. However, with little hard and fast information to go on, the participants were in a quandary, one very similar to the one Loki faced upon Sigyn's arrival weeks before. How do you prepare when you haven't the faintest clue what you're preparing for? Thor had some idea from the title of the song from which Loki had quoted bits and pieces. If he was correct, he feared that the faces staring back at him had little chance of victory.

There were few of earth's warriors still active and able bodied after the final defeat of Thanos left to call upon. Tony Stark had sacrificed his life to snap Thanos out of existence. Carol Danvers was off world. Bruce Banner was incapacitated by the injury he had sustained through the use of the Infinity Stones to bring all back who had been rendered dust. Steve Rogers had chosen to stay in the past in a branch timeline, living out the life he had missed out on with Peggy Carter and had rejoined theirs as an elderly man. Natasha Romanov had selflessly given her life to obtain the Soul Stone. He was loathe to summon one as young as Peter Parker into such a fray once again. It was a poor time for Earth to face a threat the like of Angels. Even the self proclaimed "Guardians of the Galaxy" he had partnered with, with the exception of Peter Quill who had accompanied him here to Earth, were much too remote to count on them making it in time if called upon, and he had no doubt that time was in short supply.

"So he's quoting rock songs now? Maybe he's just off his rock-er." Valkyrie quipped.

"I grant it is difficult to know where Loki is concerned. His loss was great, as profound to him as the loss of our mother, I would dare say even greater. However, considering that though it came by a Jotun's hand, it is the Angels that ultimately orchestrated Sigyn's death, the title of the song he was referencing sends a clear message. Why bother to threaten in code and not outright? He would only do that if he feared they could be privy to our conversation. The Angels wanted the Gelid, a relic of much power, enough power to restore to them their greatest loss during the war with Asgard, The Ladder, their 'Stairway to Heaven,' or as they are bound to use it, their stairway from Heven to other worlds, including this one."

"We can't fight them." Valkyrie replied. She had been a young and newly minted member of the Valkyries when first she had faced the Angels during the war. She had participated in many hard fought and hard won battles. She would have said they were the most dangerous foes she had ever faced before Hela. It had partly been their reduced numbers due to the war that had led to their decimation by the Goddess of Death when she had sought to break free from her imprisonment which was precisely why Hela had chosen that particular time to do so.

A loud knock sounded on the thick, wooden double doors at the front of the hall. Valkyrie rose and walked to the doors, opening one. Clint Barton stood there, bow over his shoulder, quiver on his back. Valkyrie stepped aside as he entered.

"Did I get your message right or did someone put something in my Cheerios? We're fighting Angels now?" Barton asked.

"Not as you know them, though they are the basis of those myths just as my family and people were the basis for those of this land long ago." Thor crossed the room to greet the Avenger's archer, the two men gripping hands before Barton took a seat with the others. Thor filled Barton in on what had taken place over the last few weeks in New Asgard. Barton listened in disbelief as Thor proposed that Loki could perhaps now be a friend and not a foe.

"So if you're right, I'm going to be fighting alongside that bastard, the one who crawled up in my head and made me into a dancing monkey." Barton said, sounding disgruntled.

"If we're lucky." Thor responded.

"You have a totally different definition of luck than I have. " Barton replied.

"It took six of us to defeat him. Do you not think it better for him to be on our side this time?" Thor asked.

"Yeah, guess you're right about that, but I still don't have to like it." Barton grumbled.

"The line about the piper calling us to join him, guess that means he'll let us know when he needs us." Quill conjectured.

"A likely conclusion." Thor responded.

"We'd better have our ears on so we don't miss it if he sends some kind of message." advised Quill.

"It will likely be similarly coded. Until it arrives, all we can do is wait." Thor replied. 

Thor had become more level headed, thoughtful, patient, and wise since his short exile after his provocation of the frost giants years before, but he still didn't particularly like waiting, especially when he knew there was a threat, yet he knew he had little choice in the matter. If their interpretation of Loki's behavior and words was accurate and it wasn't another of Loki's clever ruses, it was all in his brother's hands now.

Valkyrie stood up from her seat and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Thor asked, though he knew there was nothing else really left to discuss.

"We're all going to die...so I'm gonna have a drink."

"I'll join you." Sif said, also standing and following Valkyrie to the door.

****************************** 

Queen Loriel sat on her throne as the doors to the throne room were opened and Loki strode through them. He reached the presentation area before the throne, falling to one knee.

"My right hand has returned." Loriel said, looking down on him.

"I have." Loki responded.

"You may rise," Loki rose to his feet before her, "Was your excursion productive, I hope?" she asked, looking at Loki expectantly.

"Very. What was lost has been found," Loki held out a closed hand and opened it, revealing the crystal, "May I have the honor of presenting it to you?" he asked.

"You may."

Loki approached the dais on which the throne and Loriel sat. She reached out her hand, Loki placing the stone within it. Loriel admired the stone with a satisfied smile.

"You have my thanks-" Loriel began. The smile on her face turned to a look of shock and pain as flame leaped from the stone and enveloped her hand, spreading up her arm, crying out as her skin began to burn.

"My Queen!" Loki exclaimed, rushing to take the crystal from her hand, the flames dying as he did so. Loriel sat horrified as she observed the redness and blisters erupting on the palm of her hand and arm.

"What is this?!" she shrieked in both pain and anger. Loki again dropped to one knee, appearing despondent and fearful.

"Forgive me, the stone seems to have been enchanted without my knowledge. I should have examined it more closely."

"Where did you find it?" Loriel asked, pain still evident in her voice.

"It was on the island where Sigyn sought refuge."

"That island was enchanted long ago by your adopted mother...that witch. Aside from Sigyn and her mother, anyone else of Angelic origin could not set foot upon it without succumbing to flames." Loki had not been aware of that fact, but it played well with his plan.

"That explains much. The stone must have absorbed some of that enchantment while it rested there. If you will allow it, I can remove her spell. Frigga was very skilled. It may take some time." Loki stated.

"Yes, of course. Return it to me when it is free of this curse." Loriel said with annoyance.

"It shall be done." Loki replied, his head bowed.

Loki rose, the Salom Stone in his hand and turned to exit the throne room. He had taken only a few steps towards the doors when he heard Loriel address him.

"I favor you, King of the Jotunheim, so I am feeling forgiving. My moods have been known to be...changeable, however." Loriel said, her meaning clear as Loki turned back around to face her.

"I am not a man to repeat the same mistake twice, as my enemies would attest to...were they still alive."

"We understand each other then. Speaking of enemies, I require you to attend me on the morrow. I will summon you."

Loki bowed low before turning and making his way to the doors. After he had the left throne room, he looked down at the stone in his hand. Once again, his gamble had paid off, buying him time. He couldn't be sure of how much but hoped it would be enough. It would have to be.

****************************** 

Loriel, true to her word, the next afternoon had sent a retainer to escort Loki. He followed the angelic woman, adorned in a flowing gold gown, bypassing the throne room doors and towards another set of golden doors further down the corridor. His guide opened the doors upon reaching them and bowed low, gesturing for Loki to enter before closing them behind him.

Loriel sat in a chair that looked to be a smaller version of her throne, a cushioned white settee and plump chairs were arranged around a low set table upon which servants were placing plates of fruit and other hor d'oeuvres. Loriel picked up a small round red fruit from one of the plates, about the size of a grape, popping it into her mouth as Loki entered.

"Ah...good. Come." Loriel said as she noticed Loki's arrival and stood, moving around her chair. Loki silently followed. She led him to another set of golden doors which she opened herself, revealing a large balcony. Curved stone staircases descended from both sides to the courtyard below. She stepped out onto it, Loki a step behind.

Down below in the courtyard, uniformed angels were arranging large black stones around a thick silver pole. Others in similar uniforms stood about the courtyard at attention, one holding a flaming torch.

From the balcony, Loriel gestured to a uniformed angel who was looking up in her direction expectantly. He bowed his head before moving across the courtyard to another building and opening the door. Two angels, a man and a woman, were led in chains to the pole in the center of the courtyard and forced up the pile of black stones. The uniformed angels chained them on either side of the pole.

"Today is a special day, one for which I have waited long. I have been seeking these malcontents for some time. They could not elude me forever. This is their day of reckoning. The axe is usually more than sufficient, but for these two in particular, I felt more is required to send the requisite message. This is how I deal with my enemies." Loriel said to Loki.

Loki looked down at the scene, hiding his horror at what he knew he was about to witness. As the uniformed angels stepped back from the condemned after securing their chains, the angel holding the torch stepped forward.

"Hold!" Loriel called out to him. The angel bearing the torch stopped and looked up at Loriel, as did the two chained to the pole, a small glimmer of hope in their expressions. Loriel turned to Loki. "As he who now sits at my right hand, I grant you the honor."

Loki had taken many lives in his lifetime. He had barely considered at the time all of those that had been collateral damage on Midgard and in New York during his quest to rule, though that was partly due to the Mind Stone contained in the scepter Thanos had bestowed upon him, Loki not realizing that its influence extended not only to those he wished to control, but to himself as well. He had had no qualms either about exterminating the frost giants on Jotunheim he viewed as a danger or any of the others that had set themselves as an obstacle in his path. However, he knew these two if they had placed themselves in opposition to Loriel could not possibly be deserving of such a horrible fate.

Loki turned, locking eyes with Loriel. He knew it was a test and one he must pass. He confidently walked away from Loriel to the stairway of the balcony and down into the courtyard, crossing it, to the angel holding the torch, taking it from him. As he approached the condemned couple, the young woman looked at him with terror, trembling. He couldn't help but notice that she somewhat resembled Sigyn, though her hair was white instead of golden, but her eyes, the blue of her eyes was the same deep blue.

"Forgive me." Loki whispered. For a split second he revealed in his expression the pain he felt at what he must now do, "Breathe deeply, it will go quicker for you." he advised them, quietly. Loki touched the black stones with the torch. They erupted in flames. Loki stepped back as the flames began to climb higher, turning and walking away, handing the torch back to the uniformed angel, making his way back to the steps of the balcony, slowly climbing them amid the screams.

He reached Loriel's side, knowing he now had to face what he had done. He stood silently beside her, willing his expression to appear hard and emotionless as stone.

"Well done." Loriel said with a satisfied smile. She stood watching the fire swallowing up the couple, Loki had no choice but to do the same.

****************************** 

After the condemned couples screams had fallen silent and the flames worked to render to ash what was left of their remains, Loriel had reentered the room off the balcony. She now reclined on a settee, eating fruit from the platters on the table before her. Loki was seated in the chair across the table from her, sitting like a statue, internally wrestling with what he had just done. He knew he had had no choice other than to refuse and quite probably be the next on the pyre. He vowed to himself that if his plan was ultimately successful he would always remember and honor their sacrifice, though he was certain that knowledge would have offered them little consolation and offered him little more.

"I must admit, this is far from the way I had envisioned this turning out, but I must say I prefer it over the waste of your talents your death would have been. To think that the poor, pathetic runt spawned by Laufey's loins I convinced him to spare would someday sit at my right hand. I could never have predicted it. It was not part of my plan but it has worked out well." Loki turned his head to look at Loriel in surprise at the mention of his origins as well as her revelation of her part in it.

"That you convinced-" Loki said incredulously.

"Yes, of course," Loriel said, popping another berry into her mouth, "Did you never ask yourself why Laufey did not just end you outright?"

"I had never considered the question."

"When I received the news that Laufey, with several wives, for years having proved unable to father an heir with any of them had finally produced a son, but such a one as you were, so small and weak, thought unsuitable for the throne and destined to be put out of your misery, I knew there was potential for you to yet prove useful. I was certain that Odin would bring Asgard's war with the Jotuns to its conclusion on Jotunheim and I also knew Odin would be unable to resist such a helpless child. He did so love playing the role of savior. Thus the seed for Asgard's destruction would be planted. You, and everyone else for that matter, would always sense that you were a world apart, no matter how skillful Odin's subterfuge. When you learned the truth you would resent it and his lies, his false hopes, for surely he would never put the son of Laufey before his own on the throne of Asgard. You would set yourself against him and tear Asgard apart from the inside." Loriel explained.

Loki sat speechless for a moment before replying.

"It is as you say."

"There was only one problem I had not foreseen in the form of a little girl that was able to hold the passions I knew would be fomented by the circumstances at bay, the spawn of one of the very few left who had not fallen under my influence. I dare say without her my plan would have come to fruition much sooner. However, that situation took care of itself, once I put my other plan in motion, to collect the Infinity Stones and with them remake the universe under my sole power. I had far grander ambitions than that Titan oaf. Odin had agreed to return both Lailah and her daughter to Heven to avoid a war I told him would most certainly come if he continued to protect the former heirs on Asgard. I counted on him reasoning that the sacrifice of two non-Asgardian lives would be worth the Asgardians it would save. I then convinced her father to bring me the Tesseract from Odin's vault and in exchange I would spare his wife and his aberration of a daughter from the purges, though of course I had no intentions of keeping my end of the bargain. He proved to be incompetent and was discovered. Odin moved the Tesseract off world and its location was lost to me. However, I still had you, and now with nothing to hold you back."

Loki sat in silent shock. His whole world had just been remade, everything he thought he knew turned on its head. He had realized after the fact that he had been a puppet of Thanos and now he had just learned that he'd been another's long before.

"I gave you back the life Laufey would have taken from you. There may be those who question my decision to place you in such an exalted position because of your heritage, though no one would dare do so openly, but though you may lack an angelic bloodline, you are truly my creation."


	14. Chapter 14

An angelic sentry walked his rounds down a corridor of Loriel's palace. As he turned a corner, another sentry entered the corridor behind him from a connecting one. The second sentry walked a few paces behind the first, glancing around as he ensured that there was no else in the vicinity, before quickening his pace. Catching up with the sentry in front of him, only a step behind, the second sentry reached out, placing one strong arm around the sentry and taking hold of the his head with the other, twisting and snapping his neck. The second sentry dragged the dead sentry into an empty adjacent corridor where he dispelled his guise, transforming back to his original form. Loki dropped the body of the sentry he had just dispatched at his feet and produced a dagger. Taking a steadying breath he braced himself before stabbing himself with the dagger in his shoulder, wincing with a muffled groan of pain, before stabbing himself again in his upper arm. Reaching down, Loki removed a dagger from its sheath at the waist of the dead man and ran it across the wound on his arm, transferring his blood onto its blade.

****************************************

Loriel sat on her throne as she conferred with two angels reporting to her on the progress of The Ladder's restoration. What she was hearing was pleasing to her. With the power harnessed from the Gelid it would not be long until it was operational for the first time since the war. The universe would once again be open to them. Soon world after world would fall to their knees before her.

"Out of my way!" Loki's voice boomed from outside the throne room doors.

The golden doors were thrown open, the female attendants outside powerless to stand in Loki's way as he entered in a rage, dragging the body of the dead sentry by the collar with one hand. Blood stained his hands and his tunic, though the black of the tunic made the color of it difficult to discern, it still shone shiny and wet. Loriel and the two angels with her looked to Loki in surprise, not having expected to be interrupted and especially not by a man dragging a corpse.

"What is this?! What's happened?!" Loriel asked as she rose from her throne. The other angels moved hastily aside as Loki reached the presentation area before the throne and angrily cast the sentry's body onto the floor before her.

"What does it look like? I was attacked! Perhaps those who would question your choice are not so afraid of being as open about it as you believe." Loki growled.

Loriel looked troubled. She waved two guards over who retrieved the body and dragged it away.

"I will have this matter fully investigated immediately. If there were others involved, they will feel the full force of my wrath. You're injured. I will have you attended to by my physician." Loriel assured Loki.

Loki tossed the angel's dagger onto the dais at Loriel's feet.

"You know the effects as well as I..."

"You have nothing to fear," Loriel motioned for one of the female angel attendants standing by the open throne room door to approach, the woman rushing forward. "Escort the King of the Jotunheim to my physician." The angel attendant bowed low and led Loki out of the throne room.

****************************************

Loki sat on the end of a long white table having removed his blood stained tunic as an older female angel with white hair, braided and pinned up into a large bun on the back of her head, examined his wounds.

"These are not terribly serious. This won't take very long. You may be a bit sore for the next couple of days." she said as she procured a metallic instrument from a nearby tray that looked like a slender pen, using it to direct a beam of bright white light along the wound on Loki's shoulder, the wound visibly closing, repeating the procedure on his upper arm.

"Your weapons...I've seen their effect..." Loki said, sounding gravely concerned. Loki felt his shoulder and flexed his arm.

"Drink this." the doctor offered Loki a small, round, dark colored glass bottle.

"What is it?" Loki asked.

"It neutralizes the effects of Seraphillium." 

"I had been told there was no antidote." Loki responded.

"There isn't outside Heven. The source only exists here." the doctor explained.

Loki uncapped the bottle and lifted it to his lips, pretending to drink. He lowered it and recapped it, sliding off the table and turning from the doctor to retrieve his tunic. With his back to the doctor, Loki closed his hands around the small bottle, then reopened them, the bottle having vanished. He turned back to the doctor, his bloodied tunic over his arm.

"I have matters to attend to. Thank you." Loki said tot he the doctor as she bowed her head. The angel attendant that had escorted Loki opened the door as Loki walked past the doctor towards the exit into the corridor.

****************************************

Evening had fallen. Loki stood before the window in his suite, watching the end of yet another sunset. He'd lost track of how many he had witnessed since his arrival. Sensing a twinge of pain in his shoulder, he massaged it. The physician had been right, it was still somewhat sore and felt slightly stiff. The chime at the door sounded. Loki turned his head warily. He was not expecting anyone. Cautiously he approached the door and slid it open to reveal a female angel standing there dressed in a sky blue gown of a more revealing style than he had previously seen worn by other retainers of Loriel. Her long wavy white hair hung loose over her shoulders.

"Yes?" Loki asked. He did not recognize this woman, did not recall having seen her before, but then he had not spent much time outside his quarters. The woman bowed her head as she spoke.

"I've come at the request of the Queen. May I enter?" she asked. Her voice was musical, almost like soft bells. Loki stepped aside, the woman moving gracefully past him into the room. Loki walked past her, returning to his place before the window, standing with his back to her.

"What message do you bring from your Queen?" Loki asked.

"Queen Loriel hopes that you are doing well."

"Yes. I'm well. I thank her for her concern. Is that all?" Loki responded. 

The woman crossed the room to stand behind Loki, placing a hand lightly on his shoulder. He could smell her perfume, a scent akin to a mix of jasmine and roses. At her touch, Loki felt the same sensation of peace and calm he had always experienced in the presence of Sigyn, though far stronger. The residual pain in his shoulder and arm faded.

"I am Mariel. Queen Loriel has sent me to provide the King of the Jotunheim company and comfort." Mariel informed Loki.

Loki turned his head from the window, looking over his shoulder at Mariel.

"Thank you, but I prefer to be alone."

"My Queen has said that you spend too much time alone. It's not good for a man to be alone." Mariel told him.

"I'm not like other men." 

"All men are different in some ways and yet alike in others." she replied. 

Loki had the distinct feeling that she spoke from a deep well of experience. She placed her other hand on his opposite shoulder and began to gently massage his muscles, moving her hands slowly towards where his neck and shoulders met. He felt his whole body relaxing as if he were being placed under a spell. A part of him wished to relish in that sensation, surrender to it, though he knew that would be far too dangerous. He turned to face Mariel, slipping out from under her hands.

"Do you not find it pleasing?" Mariel asked.

"It's not that, it's-" Loki began. Mariel slipped her hands back onto his shoulders, pressing herself against him and cutting him off with a deep kiss. Loki again felt the sensation of bewitchment as he found himself participating in the kiss before he overcame it to gently move her back from him.

"I'm of Jotunheim...I thought it was forbidden..."

"I have been given a dispensation from the Queen."

"Tell your Queen I appreciate the gesture, but-"

"You have pledged your fidelity to another? Queen Loriel said there had been another."

"No...yes..." Loki stumbled over his words, his brain feeling fogged, "No, I am pledged to no one. There was someone in the past, however those bonds are now broken and I have no intention to again be thus encumbered."

Loki then realized he was being tested once again. Loriel had sent this nymph to see if he was, in fact, as pleased as he claimed to be rid of Sigyn and thus gauge his true allegiance. What was he to do? If he turned Mariel away, just as if he had refused to ignite the pyre the day before, it was probable his entire plan would collapse like a house of cards. His loyalty, however, as well as his heart rested, though lifeless, in that chamber of ice in the next room. This test, in some ways, was even more difficult.

"You have nothing to fear. I do not ask for nor expect such bonds...unless, of course, you find bonds of another sort pleasing." Mariel replied.

"I find many things pleasing, some of which you may not." Loki responded with a slightly menacing tone. Perhaps if he struck fear into her...

"I derive my pleasure from yours." she answered unflinchingly with no apparent misgivings regarding Loki's inference.

The irony wasn't lost on Loki, how in the past this was the sort of partner he would have sought out...experienced, confident, skilled, and fearless, perhaps even able to bring something new to the table. But now he would trade it in a heartbeat for Sigyn's inexperienced fumbling explorations, her sweet innocence in the midst of an act in opposition to those qualities. Despite that fact, he could not risk failure, not after making it this far. He steeled himself with the knowledge that what he was about to do, what he must do, was for her. He took a step closer to Mariel and reaching out, slowly slid the shoulders of her gown down her arms.

"I would then suggest that you please me well."

****************************************

Loki lay sprawled in his bed as the morning sunlight shone through the crystalline windows running along the top of the wall of his bedroom in Loriel's palace. He awoke slowly, squinting his eyes against the sunlight. Though he had slept soundly, he felt spent, almost hung over though he had imbibed nothing intoxicating the night before. As his brain fully awakened, it recalled to him his visitor of the previous evening. Turning his head, Loki looked to the other side of the bed. To his relief, Mariel was gone. Loki lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling. 

As full consciousness returned, flashes of what had taken place hours before where he now lay bombarded him. Guilt swept over him, an emotion he had never before experienced after such an encounter nor encountered all that often in general before, not so much due to the decision he had made in the interest of his scheme's success, but despite his best intentions, he had in the midst of it, found himself enjoying it. He sat up, moving himself to the edge of the bed, placing his feet on the floor and sat with his head in his hands before finally rising to his feet.

Loki dressed and entered the sitting room of his quarters. As was his usual routine, he walked to the door of the room of Sigyn's repose, the first place he visited each morning, As he put his hand on the door to slide it open, he stopped himself, not able to bring himself to enter, feeling unworthy to be in her presence.

The chime of the door rang. He looked towards the door wondering who it could be now and at this early hour. Making his way to the door, he slid it open. Once again, outside it stood Mariel.

"Good morning. I hope that you slept well." she said.

"Yes, very well. Thank you."

"I didn't wake you?" she asked.

"No...no, I awoke some time ago." he lied.

"Queen Loriel requests your presence in the courtyard," Mariel stated, "I will accompany you."

"That won't be necessary. I know my way." Loki held no ill will towards Mariel but the last thing he wanted or needed at that moment was her presence. Mariel seemed unfazed and bowed her head in acknowledgement before turning and walking away as if she were a mere messenger and a stranger to him.

****************************************

Loki stepped out on the balcony to view Loriel sitting at a small table in the courtyard below. He moved to the steps and descended them, Loriel calling out to him.

"King of the Jotunheim, join me." Servants exited doors below the balcony carrying small trays of food that they carried to the table and sat before her as Loki approached, "Please, sit, share my table." Loriel said as another servant sat a plate and silverware along with a glass in front of Loki, pouring juice into it from a pitcher before stepping back. Loriel picked up a piece of fruit, placing it into her mouth. Loki chose a few small pieces of fruit and a slice of sweet bread that he placed on his plate.

"Take all you desire. You must be famished," Loriel continued, "Did you enjoy your evening?"

"Yes, the company was most...stimulating." Loki replied.

"I am pleased to hear it. Mariel's skills are without equal."

"I don't doubt it." Loki replied, taking a bite from a piece of a pink, melon like fruit.

"It was the least I could do after yesterday's unfortunate incident. There is more than music to soothe the savage beast. I also have glad tidings. The Ladder is in the final stages of it's reconstruction. It should be ready for its first test tomorrow. We will finish the task Surtur left undone. My army is ready. What remains of Asgard will be no more and Midgard will be the first world to fall under my rule." 

Loki, taken aback at the news, quickly swallowed the fruit.

"So soon?" Loki asked, obfuscating his alarm.

"Your Gelid has proven powerful beyond our expectations. It has greatly aided our expedience. It will soon be relinquished to your possession for you to return it to its rightful place on Jotunheim as agreed."

Loki had counted on having at least a few more days in which to bring his plan to fruition. He would now have to accelerate his time table.

"I am aware of your zeal to rule and I share it. However, if you would see fit to indulge me and hold, not long, just a day, so I may return to Midgard and consult with our mortal allies." Loki said to Loriel before taking a bite of the sweet bread.

"I doubt it's necessary. They are of little use now."

"As was true of myself, they may yet prove of some value. If not, I can easily rid us of them."

"You may be right. Very well. Go and prepare the way."

****************************************

A few miles outside of New Asgard and between it and the next nearest town sat a large, wooden sided meeting house. Vehicles were parked in a parking lot to the side, a few more pulling in. Men exited their cars and approached the door where another man greeted them before allowing them inside.

One man looking to be in his mid thirties approached the door. The greeter reached a hand out.

"Welcome, brother Ivar."

After shaking Ivar's hand, the greeter opened the door allowing Ivar entry. The hall was medium sized and open. Chairs had been placed in rows before a wooden table in front. Most of the chairs were already occupied with around 30 men talking to each other in low voices. Ivar found an open seat in the last row of chairs and sat, waiting for the meeting to begin.

A bearded man made his way from the back of the room to stand behind the table in front.

"Brothers of Jormungandr!" he called out loudly. Everyone in the room quieted, turning their attention to him, "I apologize for the short notice. I was told by Abaddon to gather us all here today as he has news to share but it seems he has not yet arrived."

"What's this all about?" someone called out from the middle row of chairs.

"How long is he going to keep us waiting? Been weeks since we've heard anything from his end." one man said in a disgruntled tone.

"Yeah, haven't seen hide nor hair of him or those ice men. Figured they took off, abandoned us." said another.

The bearded man standing behind the table held his hands out at the crowed in a quieting gesture.

"I know, I was beginning to think the same. Then I received his message so he must have another job for us to do. Probably just thought it was a good idea to lay low for awhile what with Alex running his mouth."

"Yeah, those idiots. I told them it was a bad idea." said another man among the crowd.

"I say if he doesn't show we just go on and do it our way. Still got plenty of stuff left to light them up with. We just need to keep hitting them." another voice in the crowd called out before Ivar stood from his seat in the back row.

"I have a question," Ivar said. Everyone turned to look at him expectantly. Ivar's form and voice transitioned into his true identity, Loki, who grinned menacingly, "Where's the best seat from which to watch you all burn?"

Chaos erupted in the hall. Men stood quickly from their seats. Loki with lightning speed, stuck a dagger into the throat of the man closest to him and sent another flying at the bearded man up front, piercing him through the heart. A few men pulled out handguns and began to fire at Loki, accidentally shooting a couple of their own men. Loki bound about the room, snapping necks and sending men flying like bowling pins with blasts of energy from his hands. One man came running at Loki firing a semi-automatic rifle. Loki propelled himself towards him, landing near him, grabbing his arm that held the firearm, forcing the man to point the gun at his own head as he pulled the trigger, riddling his skull with bullets.

It was soon over. All lay dead, dying, or seriously injured and immobile about the room. Loki walked over to the bearded man who had been chairing the meeting, retrieving his dagger from his corpse. He then held out one hand and as he had done with the cadavers of the frost giants, set the room alight. Flames began to spread throughout the room, climbing the walls. Despite his reaction to putting the torch to the two angels in the courtyard of Loriel's palace, Loki felt no guilt whatsoever and only satisfaction at what he had just wrought upon the Order of Jormungandr. Loki admired his work for a few moments, watching the flames rise and engulf all before him before producing the metallic and crystal cylinder in his hand and disappearing within it's violet-pink light.

****************************************

Loki reappeared out of the same light back on Sigyn's island in the middle of the field. He looked to his right and observed the pile of ash and bone left behind from his cremation of the frost giants. He then started to follow the same path he and Sigyn had walked their last night together there.

Nearing the edge of the island, he came upon the chairs and table strewn about in the grass. The wine glasses lay broken yards apart. He walked about, searching, before he spied the object he sought. Bending down, he picked up the empty wine bottle. Thankfully it was made of thicker glass than the wine glasses and had not broken. He turned to make the trek with it back to Sigyn's house.

Inside Sigyn's house, Loki entered Sigyn's bedroom and located the notebook containing her list. Opening it, he glanced at it again before turning a few pages and finding a blank one, tearing it out. Grabbing the pen that had been sitting next to the notebook, he returned to the kitchen where he sat the paper on the table next to the empty wine bottle and began to write. Finishing, he rolled the paper up and slipped it into the bottle leaving it sitting in the middle of the table. Pulling the Zune Quill had given Sigyn that was now attached to another device from a pocket on the side of his tunic, Loki engaged the device before replacing both back into the pocket then once again activating the cylinder, disappearing in its light.

****************************************

Quill in the cockpit of his ship leaned back as he flipped through a comic book. Thor entered through the open hatch carrying two sandwiches wrapped in cellophane and made his way to join Quill, handing one of the sandwiches to him. 

"Thanks." Quill said, sitting the sandwich in his lap and flipping the page of the comic book. A beeping/chirping sound came from the console to the side of Quill. He looked up asThor looked over towards the source of the sound.

"What's that?" Thor asked.

"Incoming message. Looks like it was sent from somewhere here on Earth..." Quill hit a button on the console, the sound of music beginning to fill the cockpit. The expression on Quill's face informed Thor that he recognized the song. Both listened to the lyrics which mentioned an island, lonely days, and seeking rescue. Quill and Thor looked at each other.

"This has gotta be it. Has to be!" Quill said excitedly.

"Yes, but what does it mean?" Thor asked. Quill continued to listen to the lyrics about sending an S.O.S. to the world, the singer stating that he hoped someone would get his message in a bottle.

"Your brother's a genius!" Quill exclaimed.

"I am not certain I would venture that far..." Thor replied.

The song continued to play as a portal opened up behind them, Dr. Strange stepping out of it.

"He's back-" Strange began.

"We know!" Thor and Quill both said simultaneously, rising from their seats and heading back towards Strange who was already opening a portal.

****************************************

Loki stood in front of the casket gazing down at Sigyn within the ice. Time was slipping away. He put his hand to the ice covering the casket and held it there. The ice began to soften, melt, and break up. Water dripped off the bier onto the floor.

Loki quickly knocked chunks of ice away sending them falling to the floor and splashing in the puddles of water. The top of the casket was now clear of ice exposing Sigyn. Her body and gown were soaked. Water dripped from her hair as Loki lifted her out, carrying her from the room.

In the bedroom, Loki sat on the end of the bed with Sigyn sitting limply in his lap, her head on his shoulder, much the same way as the night she had been found. Beside him on the bed were two towels and a white bathrobe. He stripped the wet gown off of her body, drying her with the towels before slipping the bathrobe onto her, afterwards laying her into the bed, covering her.

Making his way to a dresser along the wall, Loki waved his hand over the top, a box materializing. Opening it, Loki removed the Salom Stone. Returning to stand beside the bed, Loki looked down at Sigyn's body. The ice had preserved it well. She was pale, though her skin normally had a natural light ivory fair tone, her lips slightly blue.

He wasn't even sure it would work. They had hatched the plan to end Loriel and the frost giants during one of her brief lucid periods. The stone had never to her knowledge been used for what could be termed "long term storage" and that was if she had even been able to transfer her essence into it as Loki had held it hidden within his hand as he had held her in his arms the moment she had died. She had done it once before of course, but that was no guarantee and she had also had Frigga's help then. There had still been, understandably due to the traumatic nature of it, a few holes in her memory of that event. If it hadn't worked or for some reason her essence had been cast out of the stone unable to be stored for such a length of time, he would be left with his only mission to avenge her death and eventually join her in Valhalla, which he knew, like the men of Buri, he would not wait long to do. He had already planned where he would go and what he would do, the cliffs near where they had shared that magical time their last night on the island and where her father had met his tragic end.

Taking the crystalline stone, he placed it on her forehead as she had instructed him. It appeared to softly glow but Loki wasn't sure if it really was or if it was just the way the light played with its structure as it created prisms of colored light.

"Come back to me." Loki said softly as if they were magic words, though there was nothing she had said needed to be spoken. Loki watched and waited. Nothing seemed to be happening, there was no change. Her body remained silent and still. He had known it might not work, they both knew, but it had been their only chance. Loki sank to his knees by the bedside as he had done the day she died and reached out taking her hand and rested his forehead against it as he had also done that day as he bowed his head, unable to hold back his tears of disappointment and grief.

He raised his head as he thought he heard a slight sound, or maybe the last spark of hope within him had imagined it he thought. It was the same sighing sound he had heard first from her that night on the shore. He quickly rose to his feet to see Sigyn's chest rise and fall. Removing the stone from her forehead, he placed it on the bedside table and sat down next to her on the bed, grasping her hand.

"Sigyn...can you hear me?"

Sigyn's eyes slowly fluttered open, her lips no longer blue, her skin having regained its ivory glow.

"Loki?" Signy said, her voice a mere whisper.

"Yes. Do you remember?" He hoped that this time she would remember all.

"Are we there?" she asked.

"Yes. We're on Heven. We're in the palace."

Loki suddenly remembered the serum he had absconded with from his visit to Loriel's physician. He picked up the stone from the nightstand and returned to the dresser, placing the stone back into the box and retrieving the small round bottle before returning to the bed. Sitting next to Sigyn, he raised her up with one arm, propping her against him before he uncapped the bottle.

"Drink this." Loki told Sigyn as he held the bottle to her lips. Sigyn drank the contents before screwing up her face in an expression of disgust.

"Ewww...what is that? It tastes like black licorice and mud!" she choked out, her voice still weak.

"An antidote for Seraphillium. If there's any still in your body, it will neutralize it."

"It'd better! Ugh! That was horrible!" Sigyn complained. Loki smiled, amused at her reaction. Unable to hold himself back any longer, he took her in his arms, embracing her tightly.

"I thought I'd lost you.." Loki ended the embrace, holding Sigyn by her shoulders, staring at her in amazement and gratitude, before kissing her repeatedly.

"Loki...Loki, I-" she said between kisses. What little strength she had was spent. Loki caught her as her body gave out, easing her back onto the pillows, "I'm so tired..." Sigyn said, her voice still little more than a whisper.

"Of course, I will leave you to your rest." Loki bent down, kissing her again. He moved to slide off the bed when he felt her hand place itself over his.

"No...stay." she managed to say.

"As you wish." he smiled and slid back into the bed. Sigyn snuggled up next to him, draping an arm over him and closing her eyes as he put his arm around her and pulled the blankets farther up over her with his other hand.

"Why does it smell like flowers?" she asked drowsily before drifting off to sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

In the same field where Loki had met up with Abaddon after Sigyn's untimely demise, the defenders of Asgard gathered along with Wong and other fellow Masters of the Mystic Arts whom Dr. Strange had recruited. Quill, Thor, and Strange had retrieved Loki's message in the bottle and from its contents now had the information they needed, or at least they believed they knew enough to plan a defense. There would be little room for error if they were to be successful. They would be outnumbered, hilariously so Thor knew, and this was not just any foe, but Angels, the only beings in the universe Asgard had in the past been reticent to take on. 

Thor had been young during the war, but he remembered well what a dark time it had been for Asgard. The strength and confidence he had always sensed exuding from Odin had waned during that time and he had never before witnessed his father as distressed, disturbed, and anxious. Once the war had been won, there was a notable lack of revels and stories of glorious battles as after other great victories, as if everyone wanted only to move on and forget.

Clint Barton, Sif, Valkyrie, and Thor stood looking over what was most likely soon be the field of battle where it would all come to an end one way or another. Quill was standing on one wing of his ship a few yards away, a tool in his hand, making what appeared to be a repair or adjustment. Dr. Strange and his cohorts gathered together in another area nearby discussing and finalizing their strategy.

"If this is the spot, they chose it well. There's not much here we can use to put up a defense." Barton said, taking stock of his surroundings, the flat open field of grass and rock. "I've got no high ground to nest."

"That will matter little if all goes as planned." Thor replied.

"How often does that happen?" Barton countered rhetorically.

"Protecting our wizard friends must be our prime objective. If they are lost, so are we and this entire realm and all those that shall fall after." Thor said to Barton.

"No pressure or anything." Barton replied sarcastically.

"You're certain this isn't a trap? You trust him?" Sif asked Thor warily. 

"I'm not certain of anything. It is true that he has betrayed me many times." Thor acknowledged.

"Not only you." Sif replied.

"However, when it has counted most, he has proven himself true. I must rest my hopes on that. We all must. Loki protected his heart above all else and it was only ever opened to two. When mother was murdered by the dark elves, he risked all to avenge her. I cannot imagine he would do any differently for Sigyn whom he prized above all things." Thor conjectured.

"He never did do anything halfway." said Sif in reply.

"You're not kidding. We had to replace about every window on that side of town." said Valkyrie.

Quill had jumped down from the wing of his ship, approaching Thor and the others.

"Hey, you said these guys fly, right?" Quill asked.

"Yes, they use wings in battle. It is one of their advantages." Thor replied.

"You with that axe of yours...got me thinking...check it out." Quill led them over to his ship, "Stay there." Quill said, stopping them a safe distance from the ship and climbed the gangway, disappearing within it. A few moments later, the exterior of Quills ship was covered with what looked to be a tapestry of lightning bolt like charges of electricity. Quill disengaged his new defense and exited to rejoin the others.

"So, what do you think?" Quill asked as Thor grinned.

"I think the gates of hell will soon be filled with the screams of angels."

************************************** 

Sigyn had slept for hours, recuperating from all her body had been through. Loki had found himself dozing as well, the emotional toll of the day having left him spent. After she had awakened, Loki had left her to dress out of habit, though it was really no longer required by propriety for him to do so. Loki sat on the settee in his quarters as Sigyn entered the room from the bedroom dressed in the now dry blue gown in which she had been dressed in the casket, there being no other clothes available to her.

"You don't honestly expect me to fight anyone in this?" she asked Loki.

"I wasn't expecting you to fight anyone at all," Loki replied, "Leave that to me." 

"Oh no, we're not playing that game! I didn't come here to sit on my ass." Sigyn responded. Loki rose from the settee and approached Sigyn, gently placing his hands on her shoulders.

"I won't risk losing you again."

"It's not up to you! What are you going to do, tie me up?" Sigyn said in irritation.

"Possibly." Loki replied with a grin.

"Some other time, maybe." Sigyn said rolling her eyes and moving around Loki to the center of the room and stood with her back to him. Loki followed her, approaching her from behind as she brooded, placing his hands once again upon her shoulders.

"Frost giants are one thing...angels are another. You're mortal. Never was that made more clear than recently. Do you honestly think-"

Sigyn turned swiftly to face him and in a flash placed her hands on Loki's chest, sending him flying with a shove across the room. Loki slammed into the wall, ending up seated on the floor, his back against it. Loki sat motionless, gaping at Sigyn in disbelief at her display of strength.

"Could a mortal do that?" Sigyn asked. 

"Not the garden variety." Loki answered, his voice pained and breathless, the wind having been knocked out of him. The anger drained from Sigyn as she rushed to him, falling to her knees before him, wrapping her arms around him as tears welled in her eyes.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" she cried. Loki returned her embrace, still recovering from his shock. 

"Bring a girl back from the dead, and this is the thanks I get." Loki finally said in jest.

"I think we have your brother to thank for this." Sigyn replied. Loki ended the embrace, taking hold of her upper arms and moving her back from him as he looked into her eyes.

"You're saying..." Loki could barely utter the words, his excitement getting the best of him. Sigyn nodded, smiling.

"I felt something changing even before...when I woke up here, I knew...somehow Thor's blood changed me. We'll fight them together." Sigyn said as she stood, extending her hand to Loki and assiting him to rise, "But I'm not doing it wearing this."

************************************** 

Loki and Sigyn walked down a corridor of the palace. Loki had cast an illusion over Sigyn, disgusing her as a female angel wearing the flowing gold dress of a retainer of Queen Loriel.

As they made their way down one of the corridors of the palace, Sigyn began to quietly hum a tune, Loki glancing over at her.

"What are you doing?" he asked in a whisper.

"What?" she whispered back before beginning to hum once again.

"That." Loki whispered.

"Oh, sorry..." Sigyn said, "For some reason I have all these songs stuck in my head."

Making their way around another corner further down the corridor, three female angels, Mariel among them, dressed in powder blue gowns walked towards them. They shifted to the opposite side of the corridor to make way for Sigyn and Loki, Mariel glanced at Loki as they neared each other, their eyes meeting for a split second before Loki quickly looked down as he picked up the scent of her perfume as they passed each other.

"This way..." Loki whispered, leading Sigyn around another corner and into yet another corridor. At the end of it, Loki slid open a door and Sigyn entered, Loki following, closing the door behind them. Examining the room for any signs of others and seeing none, Loki removed the illusion over Sigyn, returning her to her original form.

The two stood in an expansive room. Swords and other weapons in the thousands were arranged on the walls, Uniforms for both male and female angelic soldiers in various styles hung on long racks in a recess along one wall. They stood looking around the room at the various accouterments of war.

"So...who is she?" Sigyn asked, catching Loki off guard.

"Who?" Loki replied, feigning ignorance. Sigyn turned to stare at Loki with an expression of annoyance.

"You know who." Sigyn said, crossing her arms. 

"Oh...her." Loki said uncomfortably.

"Yes, her. Obviously she knows you."

"She once delivered a message from Loriel."

"And this message necessitated being delivered to you in your bed? I could smell her perfume." Sigyn informed Loki. He looked down towards his feet for a moment, silent, before steeling himself.

"There were things I had to do...not things I wanted to do. Loriel sent her to test me."

"I guess you passed." Sigyn said sarcastically. 

"I suppose that depends on how you look at it." Loki replied. Sigyn noticed the pain along with the discomfort in Loki's expression, her own softening.

"I can't imagine what you've been through, the things you've had to do. I'm sorry." Sigyn apologized. Loki appeared relieved, placing a hand gently on Sigyn's cheek.

"I knew you would understand."

Without warning, Sigyn's hand flew, slapping Loki hard across the face.

"Now I feel better." Sigyn said.

"Well...that was unlike you," Loki said, appearing shocked and perturbed before breaking into a grin, "I like it."

Sigyn rolled her eyes as she strode past Loki towards the wall of weapons and clothing.

"Come on, lover boy, we have shopping to do." Sigyn said as Loki followed her.

"Just so you know...the whole experience was truly abominable...loathsome..." 

"Stop while you're ahead." Sigyn warned.

************************************** 

After carrying off weapons and clothing stored safely and magically out of sight, Sigyn and Loki returned to his quarters, stowing their ill gotten gains away. Loki checked the time. They had to time their second expedition just right if they were to be successful. If they were, they would have the last pieces of the puzzle to put everything in place. It was, however, the most dangerous part of their plan.

In front of the vault of Heven's treasures, the angelic guard stood watch, his sword in hand as before when Loki had visited with Loriel. Another guard in an identical uniform approached. The first guard appeared mildly surprised as the second guard neared.

"You're early." the guard before the door said to the other.

"Am I? Well, seeing as I'm already here..."

The guard that had just been relieved nodded and sheathed his sword, stepping away from the vault's doors and made his way to the stairs, ascending them. The guard now on duty took his place before the double doors, unsheathing his own sword. After a few moments, Loki approached. The guard turned to face the doors, opening them for him.

"Make it quick! I'm not kissing you looking like this, you know!" Sigyn, disguised as the male guard whispered.

"I'm afraid you're not my type. Actually, I'm partial to-"

"I don't even want to know...go!" Sigyn hissed impatiently.

Loki entered the vault, an amused grin on his face as Sigyn closed the doors behind him. The grin turned to a look of determination as he made his way past the various treasures. He approached the gold chest holding the Horn of Naglfar. Opening the chest, he removed the horn and closed the case, briefly examining it. Holding the horn in the palm of his hand, the horn vanished. Loki turned from the pedestal upon which the now empty chest rested to make his exit. A flickering, pulsating blue orb of light on a pedestal a few feet away and across from the horn's case caught his attention. He stopped, staring at it with almost a lustful expression before reaching out. Loki slapped his reaching hand with his other.

"No!" he said quietly to himself, resuming his progress towards the doors. "Later..."

Loki exited the vault without a word. With a gesture of his hand as he walked past, Sigyn's appearance changed to that of the original guard which she had relieved. Loki ascended the stairway. Sigyn, in her new guise, remained in place. A few moments later, the guard she had originally been disguised descended the stairway, Sigyn moved aside as he wordlessly took her place.

************************************** 

Within Loki's quarters, Loki stood by the window, watching the activity of angels below as they went about their daily routines and various duties. Just as he had the weapons they had procured from the armory, he had also safely hidden away the Horn of Naglfar.

Behind Loki, four portals of violet-pink light silently opened. Loki, noticing the reflection of light and movement in the window, swiftly turned around.

"What is this?!" Loki exclaimed. Before he could take any action, one of the four male angels in uniform who had stepped out of the portals, holding a long staff pointed it at Loki, blasting him with a golden light. Loki now stood conscious but paralyzed.

At that moment Sigyn exited the bedroom, modeling the blue and gold leggings and tunic she had procured from the armory.

"What do you think-" she began before her brain had the opportunity to process the scene. The uniformed angel gripping the staff turned in her direction. Before she had a chance to react, she too was blasted with the staff and rendered immobile. The angels split into two groups of two, each pair making their way to Loki or Sigyn, moving their hands behind their backs and securing them with angelic shackles.

************************************** 

The paralyzing effects of the staff had worn off, Loki and Sigyn having regained their ability to move though they continued to be restained by the shackles. The four angels who had captured them led them into Loriel's throne room. She sat on her throne with a satisfied and malicious grin which transitioned into an expression of surprise as she viewed Sigyn being led behind Loki.

"Well, well! What have we here? This is quite a development." she said, addressing them, "It seems you weren't as alone as I thought. I give you full marks, King of the Jotunheim. I had no idea your abilities extended to resurrecting the dead."

"I'm far more skilled at creating the dead as I intend to demonstrate to you personally." Loki replied as they reached the presentation area, his expression matching his hostile tone. The angels forced Loki and Sigyn to their knees. Loriel waved her hand as if shooing off a fly.

"I have no patience for idle threats. Did you take me for such a fool? Did you actually think I was going to allow you to traipse back merrily to Jotunheim with a relic of such power? I had planned to be merciful, I believed your loyalty entitled you to that much. A simple swing of the axe and it would all be over," Loriel looked to Sigyn, "but now seeing as you thought you would make a fool of me, dared such treachery...I want this to last...painful and slow..." Loriel rose from her throne and stepped down from the dais and to the presentation area to stand in front of Sigyn. Sigyn glared at her defiantly.

Loriel pulled an angelic dagger from a sheath attached to the gold cincher around her waist and stood before Sigyn, running the edge of the blade lightly across Sigyn's cheek. Loki, held firmly on his knees by the two guards behind him began to struggle vainly against his bonds.

"If you harm her you will soon learn there are no limits to my wrath!" Loki raged.

Loriel smirked at Loki's threat as she moved from Sigyn to stand in front of Loki, his eyes aflame with anger.

"Oh, I have no intention of harming her...not yet...that would be too quick...too easy..." Loriel held the dagger in her hand in front of Loki. "You know what this is, what it does...and so does she..."

"No! Please! Don't!" Sigyn cried out, deducing what Loriel had planned. Loriel failed to acknowledge her but her smile widened upon hearing Sigyn's desperate pleas.

"Granted the effects are not quite as pronounced in those of a stronger constitution than mere mortals, but the outcome is more often than not the same. Every scream of agony, every cry for death to release you, unable to relieve you of your misery she will hear it all. Your death will take days as she's driven mad!" Loriel forced the dagger deep into Loki's shoulder, twisting the blade as Loki cried out in pain.

"NO!!!" Sigyn shrieked before suddenly growing calm, her voice cold and hard, "I will kill you."

"What was that?" Loriel said, leaving Loki and moving to stand in front of Sigyn once again. Loki remained on his knees, his head hanging, blood dripping from his wound onto the floor. 

"I'm going to kill you." Sigyn repeated. 

"Oh...please...go on...your threats amuse me." Loriel laughed.

"That's not a threat...it's a promise." Sigyn told her, her eyes locked to Loriel's, her expression hard and cold.

"You should know not to make promises you cannot keep." Loriel countered, "Take them to the dungeons!" Loriel commanded the guards. The four angels roughly hauled Sigyn and Loki to their feet and pushed them forward towards the throne room door. Loki winced in pain with each step, his blood leaving a trail of red droplets on the white marble floor. Sigyn turned her head to look over at Loki.

"You must fight it." she said to him quietly.

************************************** 

Loki and Sigyn were taken to the courtyard where hey were sat the building rom which the couple Loki had executed had been held. The angels opened the door to Heven's dungeon forcing them inside and to a row of cells similar to those that had once existed in the dungeon of Asgard, though dingier and more dimly lit. Only a small pallet lay on the floor of each cell. 

Loki and Sigyn looked over at each other, knowing it could be the last time they would ever see the other. An angel released their shackles. As they were freed, they threw themselves at each other, holding each other tight, pressing their lips together as only those that know it's most likely be their last chance can do. The angels pryed them apart, tossing each into adjoining cells and activating the containment field before making their exit. Sigyn and Loki heard the heavy door close behind them, leaving them alone. The cell next to each other, they could not see each other. Loki and Sigyn both with their backs against either side of the common wall between the cells slid down it to sit on the floor. Loki put a hand to his wound, wincing.

"The wound is deep, it will likely not be long." Loki informed Sigyn in the next cell, "Once in the midst of it I may say things that may wound you. Pay no heed to any of it. If a chance arises, leave me and go."

"Not without you!" Sigyn answered with determination. Expecting Loki to argue with her, she was dismayed to be greeted with only silence, "Loki? Loki!" Sigyn called out to him, receiving no answer. Sigyn slumped against the wall, burying her face in her hands.

************************************** 

Sigyn had dozed off on the pallet in her cell when she was awakened by the sound of a loud, low moan, followed by another. She rose quickly and moved as close to the containment field as she dared.

"Loki...I'm here"

The moans transitioned into screams, screams that aside from her own when she had been afflicted, she had never before heard emanating from another. She felt the blood freeze in her veins.

"Kill me! Do it now!" Loki cried out.

"Loki! You must fight it!"

"You want me to suffer! You want me to die!" Loki was now raving. Sigyn had at least had pharmaceutical interventions. Loki writhed in his cell, wrapped in the lone blanket, his body shaking from both agony and the sensation of intense cold.

"That's not true! I love you!" Sigyn called out to him.

"I will tear you apart! I will watch you burn!" Loki raged.

************************************** 

Hours had passed. Loki would scream in agony, amid mad ravings, hurling abuse at her, his father, Thor, anyone that his ravaged brain dredged up from its memory banks. Afterwards he would plead and cry. After that would be a period of silence, Loki having lost consciousness from the intense pain.

Loki awakened again and the cycle began over. Sigyn sat with her back against the wall, her hands over her ears attempting to block it out. She could finally stand it no more. Sigyn herself now screamed as loudly as she could, releasing all her fear, her pain, her frustration, her helplessness. It was the auditory equivalent of Loki's destruction of the reception area of the clinic.

Loki continued to cry out, writhe and rave. Sigyn laid herself face down on the cold hard floor, sobbing, moving her arms up over her ears. There was no way in the universe she could avoid going mad. She could do absolutely nothing but listen to his anguish and agony. Her heart was in shreds. No physical torture Loriel could ever have devised could compare.

Sigyn suddenly felt a gentle hand come to rest on her shoulder. A strange sensation overtook her, a peace and calm that belied her current situation.

"My Queen..." a female voice she didn't recognize said. Sigyn smelled the scent of jasmine and roses. Slowly she raised herself up, turning her head in the direction of the voice.

"You..."

"I am Mariel." Mariel offered her hand, assisting Sigyn to rise from the floor. Sigyn followed her out of the cell, the field having been disengaged.

"Why are you helping us? She'll kill you." Sigyn asked, wary of Mariel.

"A few of us are immune to Loriel's influence. I join others like myself in attempting to discover a means to destroy her. My sister and her husband were recently executed by Loki at her command. Loriel sent me to him to further test his allegiance. I had planned to kill him for what he had done to my sister. It took much time but I have gained Loriel's trust. She would say little if I told her that he had proven disloyal to her, but from him I learned the truth."

Sigyn knew that she didn't mean that he had told her the truth. Those like Mariel among the angels had a particularly keen ability to discern much from a person, their thoughts, their likes and dislikes, and to provoke a sense of peace and calm even beyond most angel's natural ability, particularly during physical contact which greatly aided those who chose her vocation. There were few in her line of work that lacked the ability.

"She wounded him. He's dying!" Sigyn told Mariel.

Mariel reached into a pocket in the seam of her flowing skirts and produced an identical small, dark colored, round glass bottle as Loki had given her to drink upon her revival. She disengaged the field at the entrance to Loki's cell and entered, approaching Loki who continued to scream and writhe. Kneeling beside him, she placed a hand to his chest. Loki's screaming soon subsided and he became calm as if drugged.

"Quickly." Mariel said. Sigyn knelt beside Loki and uncapped the bottle, raising his head and putting it to his lips.

"He will need rest and his wound tended." Mariel said.

"We need to get back to Midgard."

Mariel again reached into her skirts and produced a transport cylinder.

"I have only the one."

"Sigyn?" Loki's voice was hoarse and raspy. Loki, his eyes falling upon Mariel, stared at her in confusion.

Mariel and Sigyn helped Loki to his feet. He was unsteady and leaned heavily against Sigyn.

"What if Loriel finds out you helped us?" Sigyn asked, concerned.

"I will join my sister in Valhalla." Mariel said without an evidence of fear at the prospect.

"Come with us." 

"I cannot. I'm needed here." 

"Thank you." Sigyn told her, activating the cylinder.


	16. Chapter 16

Sigyn and Loki reappeared in the bedroom of his quarters in the palace. Sigyn knew full well that it was a gamble to return and must be quick. Their escape might be discovered at any moment. The bedroom had been completely ransacked, the bedclothes torn asunder, dresser drawers hanging open. She was well aware for what Loriel was searching...the Salom Stone. 

Sigyn assisted Loki in lowering his weakened body to sit on the edge of the bed. The effects of the Seraphillium had been neutralized, but what he had endured had left him with very little strength remaining, every muscle and sinew in his body aching and throbbing in addition to the agony of the shoulder wound Loriel had inflicted. It was healing far more quickly than it would if he were a mortal, but not fast enough. Loriel knew well exactly how to make a wound most excruciatingly painful without being fatal in and of itself. 

Loki, no longer able to hold himself up in a sitting position, collapsed onto his uninjured side on the bed with a groan.

"I need to....just let me sleep..." he said weakly, closing his eyes. His body and mind was crying out for a long, deep, healing, restorative sleep. She wished she could grant him that time and that she could join him and both escape into dreams wrapped around each other as they had so often done as children wherever they happened to find themselves when the need arose for rest after many hours of exhausting play. It was as if both of them had only ever felt completely safe and whole during those times. Sigyn remembered many times having been awakened, groggily feeling herself being gently pried apart by Frigga or her mother as they lay dozing to be taken home to her parents' quarters in the wing of the palace reserved for those that served Odin and Asgard.

Sigyn felt the hot tears welling as she thought of those times but more when she thought of what could have been and what would never have been. All that both of them had been through, her years of loneliness and isolation, his obsession with power and a throne that had led to disaster both for himself and many others, for he had nothing and no one, feeling adrift and his life meaningless. It eventually became clear that Thor would be chosen by Odin to be Asgard's next king, he would be loved and adored, Thor would have a role, a place, Thor's life would have meaning. The void within Loki had felt, though he knew not its origin, cried out to be filled and he had believed those things would fill it. All those lost years, all that had been taken from both of them. It was pain spread over centuries that no momentary physical pain, even that of Seraphillium, could rival. She was even more determined than ever now to fulfill the promise she had made to Loriel.

"Loki...I'm sorry...you can't sleep, not yet, not now." Sigyn gently shook Loki, desperate to keep him awake but not wishing to aggravate his pain. She eased him back upright, "We need the Horn and the stone! They'll be looking for us! We need to go!" With his arm draped over her shoulder and her arm around him, she raised him to his feet, leading him stumbling to the dresser where he materialized the box containing the treasures. Leaning him against the dresser, she looked around the room, spying a pillowcase on the floor and put them into it, "The weapons..." Sigyn said to the barely conscious Loki. With a listless wave of his hand they appeared against the far wall. She rushed over to them, attaching the sheathed sword to her waist along with a dagger and threw a few round, silver orbs into the pillow case. The rest would have to be left behind.

Loki's legs began to give out on him just as she returned to his side. Struggling to hold him upright, Sigyn produced the transport cylinder to return them to Earth. Just as she was preparing to activate it, she felt a shudder throughout the room, akin to a mild earthquake. Returning Loki to the bed, she cautiously exited the bedroom. 

Entering the sitting room, Sigyn made her way to the window and standing to the side of it to avoid being seen, peered out of it. Below she witnessed row upon row, hundreds of angelic soldiers in full battle dress, wings harnessed to their backs, marching towards a building that looked similar to one of Earth's ancient Roman or Greek temples. Emanating from the temple, stretching into the sky, rose a wide curtain of golden light.

Sigyn rushed back to the bedroom grabbing the pillowcase and raised the groggy Loki back to his feet.

"We have to go! Now!"

***********************************

As the violet pink light faded around them, Sigyn and Loki found themselves in the wide open field outside New Asgard. Sigyn spied Thor, Valkyrie and Sif in the distance. Barton sat nearby leaning against a rock, his bow across his lap. Quill's ship was parked near them, its nose pointing towards where Dr. Strange and the other sorcerers had gathered. She could hear music blasting from the inside of Quill's ship, the hatch standing open and the gangway extended.

Other than Quill's music, all seemed peaceful. Sigyn's mind processed the scene in confusion. She had expected to materialize in the midst of the opening salvos of a battle. She felt Loki's strength giving out as she struggled to hold him upright.

"Thor!" Sigyn called out, her voice competing with Quill's music. Taking a few steps forward, practically dragging Loki, she called to him once more. Finally, Thor turned his head in shock at the sound of her voice, "Thor! Here! " She called again. Thor in disbelief bounded across the field. 

"Sigyn?!" Thor said in awe and wonder as he reached them before taking notice of Loki's condition.

"Help him!" Sigyn exclaimed as Thor took over from Sigyn, taking hold of one of Loki's arms and draping it across his shoulders, propping Loki's limp body upright.

"It's alright, brother. I've got you." Thor said to Loki. 

"Thor? Where..." Loki said groggily, disoriented, his head lolling.

"I thought you didn't like 'get help,' brother." Thor teased.

"I don't. It's humiliating." Loki answered drowsily, as if at any second he could lapse into unconsciousness.

"I think he'll be ok but we need to get him off his feet." Sigyn told Thor. Thor followed her directive, taking Loki in his arms and heading for Quill's ship, Sigyn following closely behind.

***********************************

Quill, unaware of what was taking place outside the ship, stood in front of an open wall panel making final adjustments to the wiring of his new defense system. The previous song on his playlist had ended and the next began to play, one he had added to his own collection from Sigyn's and also one he remembered his mother singing quite often, 'Gypsy' by Fleetwood Mac. It brought to Quill's mind memories of both women. He began to sing along as he continued to work. 

Thor, with Loki in his arms, made his way up the gangway and into the ship. Quill turned his head, sensing the vibration through the floor of the ship of someone rushing up the gangway. His voice trailed off as he watched in confusion as Thor entered, Loki in his arms.

Without a word to Quill, Thor turned in haste to the left, taking Loki through another hatch to the sleeping cabin of the ship. Sigyn entered immediately behind Thor carrying the pillow case in one hand. Quill froze, stunned at the sight of the woman he had believed to be dead, his jaw dropping open.

"Quill!" Sigyn smiled in joy and relief as she ran towards him, wrapping her arms around him upon reaching him, still gripping the pillow case. Quill stood unmoving for a moment before reality finally sunk in and he returned the embrace.

"I've gotta go!" Sigyn removed her arms from around Quill, he following suit, before racing to the storage locker and grabbing the medkit, rushing to follow Thor, out of Quill's sight. 

*********************************** 

In the back of the ship, Thor had placed Loki on a bunk, Loki's legs hanging over the side, before Thor lifted them into the bunk as well. 

"Loki! Brother!" Thor said, patting Loki's face in an attempt to wake him.

"What now? Why won't you let me...just a little longer..." Loki mumbled in an exhausted, irritated voice, his eyes remaining closed, obviously disoriented. Sigyn entered the room with the medkit.

"Get that off him, I need to get a good look." Sigyn said indicating Loki's tunic. Thor grabbed hold of the tunic, ripping it open at the shoulder seam, exposing the wound.

"What happened?" Thor asked.

"He was stabbed...Seraphillium,...we were separated. I couldn't get to him. He suffered for hours before I could give him the antidote." Sigyn explained, her voice heavy with emotion.

"I was unaware an antidote existed." said Thor in surprise.

Sigyn removed antiseptic from the medkit and used it to cleanse the wound before applying a bandage.

"That's the best I can do. He needs rest. I thought they'd be here already. When we left they were on their way to the Ladder. " Sigyn informed Thor.

"They have made no appearance here." Thor responded, puzzled.

"If they didn't come here, where were they going?" Sigyn asked.

***********************************

On Jotunheim, angelic soldiers walked among the cadavers of slain Jotuns lying on the bloodied and frozen ground as others descended from the air. The Jotuns had not been expecting an attack from their supposed allies and had been taken by surprise. Smoke and flames rose from piles of frozen rubble across the wasteland. Many of the dead frost giants lay blackened and burned. An angelic soldier stood in front of the now empty throne of Jotunheim, holding a holoprojector in his hand, speaking to the image of Queen Loriel.

"It is done, my Queen. Jotunheim has fallen."

***********************************

Sigyn seated herself on the edge of the bunk where Loki lay deep in slumber. She felt his forehead with the back of her hand. He felt cool, no sign of a fever that would indicate an infection. She was relieved as that was now her primary fear. Asgardians could suffer infections as any other living thing, though they were far less prone to them than mortals, but the wound had been deep and with his body weakened and stressed by the Seraphillium, it could lead him to be more susceptible than he otherwise would be. 

The bunk wasn't wide enough for her to comfortably lay beside him. Sigyn decided to leave him to his rest as there was little else she could do for him at the moment, softly kissing his forehead before standing. Clint Barton entered as she did so and made his way to the far wall, opening the door of what appeared to be a food storage unit, removing from it a metallic water bottle. Sigyn had only just met him and was unaware of his and Loki's history during Loki's past attempt to conquer Earth. She smiled at him as he turned from the wall, Barton giving her an acknowledging nod before she turned from the bunk and left the room.

Barton stood watching Loki as he slept. Here before him was the man who had once taken control of his mind, his thoughts, his will, and had led him to betray people he cared deeply for, that he had never before thought it possible he could ever turn against or harm. How easy it would be to send an arrow flying straight into Loki's skull while he was unconscious and unable to intercept it with his superhuman reflexes. Barton struggled to put the thought from his mind. The loss of his will had been highly traumatic for Barton, especially when he thought of his family, how while in that state if Loki had ordered him to rip them to shreds he would have done so without any questions and without a second thought so complete had been Loki's control over him.

Barton continued to stare in Loki's direction for a few more moments, at war with himself. He knew it would be best if he forced himself to walk and keep walking as far away from the man as he could. He turned, taking a step towards the hatch.

"Barton...the man of heart." Barton heard Loki's voice from behind him, stopping him dead in his tracks. His blood turned to ice water in his veins upon hearing that voice he knew well. There were occasions even now, years later, that he had heard it in his dreams...or rather nightmares. He had been relieved when had learned that Loki had met his demise at the hands of Thanos, though out of respect for Thor he had never spoken of his feelings openly.

"You remember me?" Barton said, his back still to Loki as he faced the hatch.

"How could I forget? We were quite a team." Loki replied. Loki struggled to sit upright in the bunk as he winced in pain, finally managing to do so, resting his back against the wall.

"You still planning to split my skull, all that stuff?" Barton asked.

"I never was actually, but it was a great bit of theater, was it not? Some of my best work, at least up until recently. Obviously I made quite an impression. Had I not, she never would have passed on that little tidbit. It seems your good friend came close to doing the job herself in order to free you. If only someone had done the same for me." Loki said. Barton turned to face him, cleary irritated.

"Thor's told me all the stories, you were nothing but a snake in the grass long before Thanos came along."

"I concede it wasn't quite the same as your experience, but the Mind Stone did have its effect on me as well, though I wasn't aware at the time. I now understand many things I didn't before. I ask you...do you know what it is to have lost someone, someone that meant more to you than your own life? Not merely lost, taken from you, ripped from you, how that changes you, how your whole world turns to black, how you cease to be the person you once were?" Loki asked the archer. 

Barton stood silent. He did know. He knew all too well. He recalled that day, his loving wife, his children, there one second and gone the next, rendered dust in a blink of an eye. He recalled how he had spiraled into the darkest place he had ever known and what he had become.

"I'm well aware of your enmity towards me," Loki continued, "how you crave nothing more than to send one of those arrows in that quiver of yours straight through my black heart, how you would have relished witnessing my torture, the agony I endured, savored every anguished scream like a fine wine. However, as justifiable as that all may be, we now find ourselves on the same side of this conflict. In the interest both of us continuing our tenure in the land of the living, I propose a truce."

"Fair enough." Barton acknowledged. He turned again to leave the room, before turning back to face Loki, "This Sigyn of yours, she seems like a good woman. Only flaw I can see is that for some reason I can't even begin to comprehend she loves you...you don't deserve her."

"You're right, I don't. The ways in which I'm undeserving are legion. Be that as it may, she has agreed to be my wife...that is if fate favors us and we survive to make those vows to each other. Seeing as you're the only family man among us, I have only you to ask for your counsel." Barton was taken aback by Loki's reply. He remained silent for a moment, thoughtful.

"Best I can tell you is just let each other be yourselves, then you become your best version, just happens. Laura and I, this life I live, if we didn't do that, we'd have never lasted. Hope that makes some kind of sense."

"I was not wrong about you. You do have heart. I truly hope that at the end of all this, you are returned safely to those with whom it lies." Loki replied. Barton, again unprepared for Loki's reply, silently gave a nod to Loki before exiting through the hatch.

***********************************

Sigyn sat in the copilot seat of Quill's ship staring out of the front windows at Dr. Strange and the other masters as they practiced pooling their shared energies into creating one huge portal near and horizontal to the ground. Quill entered the ship through the hatch, making his way to the pilot's seat and sat down. The two sat together in silence for a few moments before Quill finally spoke.

"Like the outfit, by the way." Quill said.

"Thanks."

"I just wanted to say...I'm sorry...that I wasn't there when...you know..." 

Sigyn looked over at Quill and reached, placing her hand comfortingly on his leg.

"It's ok. I understand."

"I was there...you know...when my mom...she wanted me to hold her hand...I couldn't...I was too scared." Quill confessed.

"You were just a kid." Sigyn replied, sympathizing.

"I'm not a kid anymore. I just don't do well when it comes to...you know..."

"Who does really?"

"I didn't get much choice with Yondu, but then he spent years telling me people wanted to eat me." said Quill, recalling the last moments of the life of the man who had come closest to being a father to him.

"What the hell? You never told me about that." 

"I know, right? I put together a playlist...just some that reminded me of you."

"Really?" Sigyn responded, flattered.

"Strange thing is, that's what I was listening to when you showed up. Thought at first when you came walking in here I'd lost my damn mind." Quill reached over on the console, the music he had previously turned off once more beginning to play. Sigyn smiled as she stood from the co-pilot's seat and put a hand out to Quill. Quill took it, the two moving back to the open area behind the seats.

As they danced, Barton came through the hatch. He watched them for a few moments, reminded of a similar friendship he had shared with a woman who had been briefly mentioned in his conversation with Loki. His face took on a somber expression and he turned, exiting the ship.

********************************** 

Evening had arrived and there remained no sign of an invasion. Asgard and Earth's defenders gathered around a fire Thor had built. Loki had known the coordinates but not the exact timing. After Loriel's betrayal, he was wondering if the information he had been given had been accurate. Upon waking, he had made his way out of the ship, still drained and sore but at least functional, sporting one of Quill's shirts to replace the torn and blood stained tunic. 

Valkyrie had been pacing for most of the evening. She appeared to be even more ill at ease than before after Sigyn had related the events that had taken place on Heven during her and Loki's time there, at least those she felt were important enough to share, leaving one detail in particular out of her narrative.

Sigyn now sat next to Loki on a blanket on the ground on the opposite side of him from his injured shoulder. It still pained him, the pain meds she had given him from the med kit had little effect. She had offered to return to New Asgard and retrieve the stronger variety that were left from her ordeal but Loki had refused, wanting to stay as clear headed as possible. His brain had been in a fog for long enough over the last day. 

As they all sat in silence, idle conversation seemed wrong under the circumstances. No one wanted to talk about what they were most likely about to face. Valkyrie continued to pace as everyone's eyes followed her, 

"Is something amiss?" Thor asked.

"Of course something's amiss! We're facing extinction!" she declared.

"Beyond that..." he responded. Valkyrie ceased pacing and took a deep breath, turning to face everyone sitting around the fire.

"There's something all of you should know. I thought maybe Loriel was dead and that Abaddon...it was so long ago...anyway...obviously she's still alive."

"For now. I plan to remedy that shortly. What of it?" Loki responded.

"I suppose I should just start at the beginning." Valkyrie said.

"A wise choice." Thor replied, growing slightly impatient.

"Before Frigga, Odin had another wife." 

"It was not something I, nor Loki, were ever told by either of our parents, nor did we ever hear anyone else speak of it, but I had already come to that conclusion. Hela was Odin's first born. My mother was not her mother. Children don't just fall from the sky." Thor stated.

"She thought they did." Loki joked as he pointed at Sigyn, recalling Sigyn's story of her memory of their play acting as children.

"Guess that explains the whole virgin thing." Quill said. Loki looked over at Quill with a murderous glare as Sigyn's jaw dropped.

"Are you kidding me?! You told Quill?!" she said to Loki incredulously.

"Who did you think assisted me in setting up our little rendezvous?" Loki said, turning his attention from Sigyn to Quill, "By the way, I haven't had the opportunity to thank you properly." Loki said to Quill. "Was happy to do it. Couldn't let that state of affairs continue. Talk about a waste of potential." Quill said. "Quill!" Sigyn cried out, her cheeks turning red. "What? Seeing as the situation has been dealt with, I fail to see what you--" Loki began.

"Loki!" Sigyn exclaimed, further embarrassed.

"Now do you understand why I used to beat him?" Sif asked Sigyn.

"Is this really important right now?" Valkyrie asked impatiently. Everyone quieted though all but Sigyn bore amused grins. Sigyn continued to glare at Loki with a death stare for a few more moments before returning her attention to Valkyrie. Valkyrie rolled her eyes before continuing her story.

"Anyway...as I was saying...Odin's first wife was not Asgardian. His father, Bor, disapproved, but Odin would have no other and Bor relented. Not long after, she bore him Hela. It was around that time he began to talk of conquering other realms and beyond. When he took the throne the conquests began. Asgard had been known as the keeper of peace, the protector of the realms, but all that changed. Eventually two witches managed to place their daughter into the court....Frigga. The witches knew what Odin's queen really was and that she had to be exposed.

"Odin's first wife was a demon, a dark angel from Hel who had somehow broken the bonds of that place and taken on another form. Once Odin, with Frigga's help, realized that she had bewitched him, he cast her out but he couldn't bring himself to cast out his first born. He tried to convince Hela to follow his new path, the path of his forebears, to once again become a protector instead of a conqueror but she refused. He knew he could no longer control her. That was when he imprisoned her in Hel. Not long after was when a new faction on Heven began to quickly gain influence in the same way that Odin's first wife had bewitched him. They also bewitched most of the population of the angel world with the exception of a few who were immune to their influence. Their new queen was Loriel, Odin's first wife and mother to Hela.

Valkyrie looked directly at Thor as she continued.

"Remember on Sakaar when I told you that I didn't want to get involved with any more of Odin's family squabbles? This is exactly what I was talking about. Loriel was a force to be reckoned with then and I'm sure she's only grown stronger. She was never as strong as Hela, but if she's even half...we're not just going to be fighting her, but all of Heven's warriors under her control."


	17. Chapter 17

The night was quiet and still, a slight cool spring breeze blowing across the open field causing the grass and small flowers dispersed within it to gently sway. The sky was alight with myriads of stars, the Milky Way visible, stretching across it in a stardust haze. The fire crackled and sparked as Barton, on watch seated on a large metal chest, reached behind him and tossed another small log into it to keep it fueled for the comfort of all those slumbering around it.

Loki lay on his back covered by a blanket, fast asleep. Still recovering from his ordeal, fatigue had overwhelmed him once again. Sigyn lay on the the same blanket on her side, her arm draped across him, sleep refusing to grant her respite from her anxiety and the thoughts that fueled it. Some of those thoughts struck her as petty considering what she, and more so Loki, had recently experienced and what she knew was coming, but she couldn't shake them. It struck her as unusual that she found herself unable to sleep, lying next to Loki where she had always been able to easily drift off regardless of circumstances since that first night after she had recovered her memory. She felt Loki's chest rise and fall with each breath and his strong, steady heartbeat as he dozed which had always been a comfort to her, but not this night. She rose from the blanket, carrying the one she had been covered with, and made her way towards Quill's ship as Barton, seated on the other side of the fire, pushed a piece of firewood further into it with a stick. He followed her with his eyes for a few moments before turning his attention back to the fire.

********************************* 

Quill dozed on one of the two bunks inside the cabin of his ship, Thor doing the same in the other.

"Quill...Peter...wake up." Quill stirred as he sensed a hand come to rest on his shoulder. He slowly opened his eyes, groggy, his brain fogged. That fog quickly lifted when he realized who's voice he was hearing, his mind registering the green tone of the skin of the woman standing by his bed that had awakened him.

"Gamora?" Quill gasped as he quickly sat upright, "How did you find me? I've been looking-"

"You lied to me." Gamora interrupted him in a tone that was a mixture of anger and hurt.

"What? I never lied to you! Well...maybe a couple times...not about anything important..."

"You said you loved me." Gamora said mournfully.

*************************************** 

Sigyn exited Quill's ship. Barton observed her as she descended the gangway, her blanket still draped over her arm, now toting something Barton could not identify due to the darkness and distance in the other. She turned to the right, disappearing into the night.

Sigyn strolled through the grass to a spot near a large rock, laying out her blanket and sitting down on it. Looking to her left, she could see the glow of the campfire in the distance but couldn't make out anything else, judging that she was far enough away she wouldn't disturb anyone. Plugging the Zune into the speaker, having borrowed both devices from Quill's ship, she scrolled through the play list.

***************************************** 

Quill rocketed upright in his bunk as he turned his head one direction, then the other, finding himself alone except for Thor still slumbering in the other bunk. Squeezing his eyes closed he put his face in his hand, disappointment washing over him as he realized Gamora's presence had been only a dream. The details of the dream had already slipped from his conscious memory. He slipped out of the bunk, throwing on a pair of pants over his shorts and pulling a T-shirt over his head. He felt disoriented, slightly dizzy, a mild buzzing in his head. Just as a drunk operates on "autopilot" to find their way home, Quill left the cabin and unsteadily made his way to one of the storage lockers in the front of the ship and opened it.

Barton looked up again as he saw Quill exiting the ship, stumbling a little and putting his hand out onto the ship to steady himself for his first few steps before moving off in the same direction Sigyn had gone. Barton watched him disappear into the darkness. He stood and turned around, grabbing another small piece of firewood from the pile and threw it on the fire, watching the sparks rise and burn out.

************************************* 

Sigyn lay on the blanket staring up at the stars, listening to Janis Joplin singing 'Get It While You Can' through the speaker, the volume low.

"You too, huh?" she heard Quill's voice and startled slightly, turning her head. 

"I couldn't sleep. Too much on my mind." Sigyn told him, returning her gaze to the sky and the stars.

"Me too. Last thing I thought would ever kill me were angels. I remember the one mom always put on top of the Christmas tree."

"That's part of it, but not all of it." Sigyn said sounding troubled.

"I'm no shrink but maybe it would help to talk about it." Quill suggested. 

"No, it's stupid." Sigyn said, then went quiet again as the music played.

"What?" Quill asked, as he sat down next to Sigyn on the blanket as Sigyn sighed and sat up.

"There was this woman on Heven. She's what's called a 'comfort woman.'"

"You mean like a-" Quill began, Sigyn predicting what he was about to say and breaking in before he had finished. 

"Yeah, kind of...I mean, they do more than that. they have certain abilities other angels aren't capable of. It's not considered shameful. They're considered very special. Loriel sent her to Loki..." Sigyn explained.

"He didn't...did he?" Quill asked. 

"Yeah..." Sigyn answered, her head bowed. 

"I can't believe...I mean, after everything..." 

"It's not what it sounds like. Loriel sent her to test him. He didn't have a choice. If he hadn't done it, she would have known..."

"He couldn't have said he had a headache or something? I guess it's usually women who use that excuse. You're pretty new to it, haven't had to use that one yet," Quill said.

"Not yet." Sigyn replied, grinning slightly.

"Give it time." Quill said.

Sigyn smiled, amused at Quill's statement as she turned her attention back to the stars as Quill continued.

"Not that I turned that kind of thing down much myself, not until Gamora...a few times though. There's ways to do it and not be an A-hole about it. Here, I'll show you...you be the whor-" 

"I'm not doing that!" Sigyn interrupted him as she laughed. 

"Seriously..." Quill said as Sigyn stared at him, "Ok, well...anyway..." Quill reached out and placed his hand on Sigyn's chin, moving her bottom lip with his thumb to mimic her talking, changing his voice to a high pitch to imitate her, "Hello, Quill, I'm here to comfort you, if you know what I mean. You are soooooo sexy, just so hot, I wanna 'comfort' you alllllll night looonnnngggg," Quill looked into Sigyn's smling eyes. She was obviously highly amused, holding herself back from laughing. He removed his hand from her chin, "Yeah...guess that would be kinda hard to say no to."

"It's not that he didn't say no that bothers me. That's not the problem, I mean, not really." Sigyn said.

"Guess I don't follow." Quill said, obviously confused, as the intro to the song 'Crimson and Clover' began to play. Quill's eye caught sight of a figure standing in the darkness a few yards away in front of him. Sigyn didn't appear to notice it. He stared at it as it stared back at him, though he couldn't make out a face in the darkness.

"Like I said...it's stupid...like teenage girl in love stuff...not that I'd know...just watched a lot of movies. Anyway...when Loriel...if we don't...I mean, if we don't 'make it'...the last person he was with, it won't have been me." Sigyn finished, hanging her head again for a moment, before deciding to change the subject, "I love this song."

"Yeah...me too." Quill replied, his voice sounding far off as he continued to stare at the dark figure. 

Sigyn looked over at Quill as she noticed the change in his voice. He turned his head from the direction of the shadowy figure and gazed into her eyes. Slowly raising his hand, he placed it on her cheek. As Sigyn looked back into Quill's eyes she saw noticed something other worldly in them, as if it wasn't him looking out of them. She felt herself hypnotized by them, frozen, a similar sensation to the early effects of the potion Loki had slipped into her drink when she'd found herself stuck in an immobile stare. Quill's lips met hers, she returning the kiss, much the same way Loki had when Mariel had first kissed him, as if under a spell, as the music continued to play, seeming to enhance the hypnotic effect. As she finally realized what was happening she fought to break free from the trance, the mental equivalent of a drowning person grasping and struggling to pull themselves up onto a floating log.

"Quill...Quill....no...we can't..." she managed to say, though barely audibly. Quill had moved his lips to her neck. She placed her hands flat against Quill's chest to push him away but It was as if all her strength, even her newfound Asgardian strength, had drained from her. Her brain felt as if it were short circuiting, her thoughts and feelings jumbled and confused. Mentally she fought against what was happening but physically was unable, helpless, as Quill kissed her lips once again. She then realized there was a small part of her fighting against herself not to break free, guilt overwhelming her. It was then that she sensed that there was another presence nearby, not a human presence.

"Quill...please...stop..." she was barely able to gasp out. He moved her slowly down onto her back on the blanket as he continued to kiss her, his lips now at the merging of her shoulder and her neck.

Sigyn heard a sound between a crack and a thud, like someone's head hitting a wall. Quill's body rolled over her as he was knocked aside, collapsing. The spell she'd been under lifted and she opened her eyes to see Barton standing at the edge of the blanket, a piece of firewood clutched in his hand. Turning her head, she saw Quill sprawled on his back also staring up at Barton. It was only then that she noticed the knife in Quill's hand. Sigyn scrambled to her feet to stand beside Barton, both looking down at Quill. His expression had turned menacing, as if he were possessed, his glare sinister. Barton raised the chunk of wood again as Sigyn grabbed his arm.

"Wait! Don't hurt him! Something's taken control of him!" Sigyn cried. Quill began to raise himself stiffly to a sitting position still holding the knife.

"Yeah, I'm on it. Just doing a little cognitive re-calibration." Barton said. He swung the firewood once again, striking Quill in the head, sending him sprawling flat on his back on the ground. Quill was still for a moment before he began to groan. Sigyn started forward to rush to his aid before Barton grabbed hold of her arm.

"Give it a minute." Barton advised as he stepped beside Quill and noticing the knife on the blanket near Quill's hand, kicked it out of reach with his foot. He looked down at Quill who grimaced in pain.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" Barton asked.

"Yeah...what the hell, man?" Quill said as he struggled to sit up. Barton nodded at Sigyn who now hurried to Quill's side. 

"Sorry about that. Gotta do what you gotta do. You back with us?" Barton asked. Quill nodded, still grimacing as his head pounded, "You're lucky it was me and not magic man or you'd probably be a pin cushion right now."

"I likely would have simply snapped his neck." All three turned at the unexpected sound of Loki's voice to see him standing a few feet behind them.

"What'd I do?" Quill asked in confusion. He winced as pain shot through his head again after he spoke.

"It doesn't matter. It wasn't you. You should put some ice on that." Sigyn said, assisting Quill to his feet before retrieving the blanket along with the speaker and the Zune, shutting it off. Barton took hold of Quill's arm to steady him as he swayed.

"She's here...or one of her minions. She wants to mess with our heads, turn us against each other. We need to stick together, keep an eye on each other. We can't allow her to get to any one of us. We can't go around bashing each other's brains out." Sigyn said.

"I don't understand...if she has an army to send down on us, why doesn't she just do it?" Barton asked, still holding Quills arm.

"She's afraid. She knows we have it." Sigyn answered.

"Have what?" Barton asked curiously.

"It's better for now if you don't know. Just trust us." Sigyn said. Barton looked Loki up and down.

"That's asking a hell of a lot. I'd be more likely to trust a fox to watch the hen house, but looks like I'm low on options." Barton said. He started back to the ship and camp in the darkness taking Quill with him, the firewood club still clutched in his hand.

"What did you see?" Sigyn asked looking down, her voice tinged with shame.

"Barton's right, he's lucky." Loki said sounding displeased.

"That's exactly what she wants. At least we know she's scared. That's when people make mistakes."

"What were you doing out here?" Loki asked.

"I couldn't sleep. I was just listening to music...looking at the stars. I used to do that on the island when I couldn't fall asleep. I shouldn't have come out here alone. I just needed to think." Sigyn told Loki. He looked at her with an expression of concern mixed with trepidation.

"To think about what exactly? Loki asked.

"Like I told Quill, it's stupid. We have more important things to worry about."

"Tell me all that troubles you. Hold nothing back from me even if you think it will wound me." Loki told her. Sigyn wrapped her arms around Loki, resting her head on his uninjured shoulder.

"I wish everyone knew the you that I know...if I could just make them see..." Sigyn said sadly.

"As I've told you, I've made many enemies, Barton among them. I knew it would not be easy for you. Is that what's troubling you?"

"It does, but that wasn't what I was talking about." Sigyn steeled herself, "Remember I warned you it's stupid." Sigyn related to Loki what she had told Quill. Loki, smiling appeared relieved.

"Leave it to my Sigyn to think that deeply on a subject. It's a wonder you ever sleep."

"Like I said...stupid."

"I didn't say that."

Sigyn lifted her head from Loki's shoulders and looked towards the campfire in the distance.

"We should go back." She took Loki's hand with her free hand, the other holding the Zune and speaker, her blanket draped over her arm, and began to walk in the direction of the campfire. Loki remained planted where he stood. Sigyn turned back to him, looking at him questioningly when she realized he wasn't moving.

"I can't leave your mind in such a quandary." Loki said.

"What do you--Here? Now? We couldn't..." 

"And why not?" Loki responded.

"Anyway, you're in no condition..."

"I'll be the judge of that." Loki was grinning, enjoying Sigyn's discomfort with the idea.

"No...really...someone will be coming to look for us." 

"Let them...does that not make it more exciting...clandestine sin...the danger of discovery?" Loki was beaming mischievously, a twinkle in his eyes.

"I think I'd die..." Sigyn said.

"It seems dying is merely a momentary inconvenience for both of us." Loki said as he pulled her to him.

"What if she's lurking around..." Sigyn said, sounding disgusted at the idea.

"Oh, I want that most of all."

**********************************

The inhabitants of Vanaheim, as those of Jotunheim had been caught completely unaware by the curtain of light that had fallen with a rumbling quaking upon their land, winged angels in the thousands marching from out of it's glittering golden mist. It was over practically before it began. Vanaheim's inhabitants had prepared no defense. Even if they had, it would have proven as useless as match sticks against a bulldozer so overwhelming were the numbers of the foe and so powerful, fierce, and merciless were they. The people of Vanaheim were attacked from both the ground and the sky. Dwellings were leveled and left smoking ruins, craters blown in the ground as if it had been struck by a storm of meteors. Without Asgard to protect and defend them, those of Vanaheim were overpowered and slaughtered in droves. Those that were able took their children and elders and fled underground to the secret caves that were used in the event of an attack by marauders or other enemies.

Loriel had decided to oversee the attack personally. She now walked through the fields of dead Vanaheim defenders, two angel soldiers at her side, the bodies of those slain contorted in death, some in flames or smoldering, blackened. She had ditched the trappings of a Queen and now wore only a white and gold bodysuit adorned with angelic symbols down its front and a gold circlet around her head with the stone from her formal crown faceted to it. Her long, wavy white hair blew behind her in the breeze.

She halted, stretching her arms out, her palms up and looked towards the sky with her eyes closed almost as if she were worshiping some ancient god or absorbing the sunlight. She breathed a deep breath in through her nose and held it before exhaling.

"Ahhhhhhh...the sweet sensation of suffering...pain...humiliation...death...what a balm! I want more!"


	18. Chapter 18

Many centuries ago, Sigyn and Loki as children sat on a blanket under a large tree in a forest on Asgard leaning against the wide trunk of a towering tree, Sigyn cradling a baby doll in her arms.

"...and it was in this very forest, near this very spot, that Einar put his brother Eigill to the sword." Loki said to Sigyn in his best storytelling voice, "It is said his spirit, unable to rest in Valhalla for his betrayal, wanders here still, his severed head in his hand."

"That's not true." Sigyn said cynically.

"I suppose we will find out if we remain here long enough." Loki told her. He held out his hand towards her, full of multi colored candies. Reaching out, she took one, popping it in her mouth.

"What about Nahni?" Sigyn asked.

"What about her?" Loki asked as he glanced over at Sigyn's doll.

"She can't eat candy."

"Of course she can't eat candy, she's a doll." Loki said.

"She's a baby. Babies don't eat candy."

"What do they eat, then?" asked Loki.

"They don't eat anything."

"They must eat something. How else do they survive?" Loki asked, puzzled.

"They drink...milk" Sigyn reached over and took another piece of candy from Loki's hand he had now rested on his thigh.

"Well, unless a goat happens to wander by, Nahni will have to wait as I didn't bring any." said Loki, ending the discussion.

The two children sat in silence as they ate candy, watching the forest for any sign of the cursed ghost of Eigill.

"This is boring. Nothing's happening. How long do we have to wait?" Sigyn asked. She reached over for another piece of candy only for her hand to continue past where Loki's had been and come to rest on the blanket. Turning her head to look beside her, she discovered that Loki had vanished.

"Loki?" scanning the area around her, Sigyn rose to her feet, her doll cradled in one arm, and circled the tree, "Loki...?" She circled the tree before taking a few steps away from it, scanning the surrounding forest, "I know what you're doing. I'm not falling for it."

Loki, hiding himself behind another tree a few yards away, peeked cautiously around its trunk to witness Sigyn with her back to him peering off into the forest. He grinned as he produced the illusion of a headless warrior carrying his head in his hand by the hair and dragging a bloodied sword in his other hand, sending it slowly lumbering towards her from behind.

"Sigyn!" The sinister, ghostly voice emanating from the mouth of the disembodied head hissed. Sigyn spun around, her eyes widening with fright at the sight of the ghastly apparition, "I have taken Loki's head. Now I shall have yours!"

Sigyn clutched her doll to her chest and with a blood curdling scream turned and bolted into the forest, shrieking in terror. The illusion of the dead warrior's ghost faded to nothing as Loki came out from behind the tree, laughing uproariously.

"Sigyn! Sigyn! It was only me! Come back!" Loki called in the direction in which she had bolted as his laughter continued. He waited a few moments for her to return but she did not appear. "Sigyn!" he called out into the forest again. His laughter had now ceased. Perhaps he had went too far this time, he thought. He had pulled pranks on her countless times before, frightening her with the illusion of various small creatures and such. He had once faked the loss of his hand which had sent her into quite a tizzy. He would then laugh and hug her tightly, consoling and reassuring her, which was his favorite part of the whole enterprise, perhaps his greatest motivation for carrying it out, though he would never have openly admitted that to anyone. She would then laugh with him and often compliment him on his skills, unlike others who had no sense of humor or appreciation for his talents.

"Sigyn! I'm sorry!" He called into the forest. After getting no response he began trekking in the direction in which she had bolted. As he attempted to track her, he scanned the surroundings for signs of her passing, continuing to call out for her. The afternoon was drawing to a close, it would soon be evening and the sun would be descending. It would grow dark in the forest far more quickly than outside of it. He could already see the light growing slightly dimmer. It was imperative that he find her soon.

A few yards ahead he saw a hint of blue contrasting with the browns and greens of the forest floor. Upon reaching it he looked down to discover Nahni, Sigyn's baby doll, in her long blue gown. His anxiety ramped up. He knew that Sigyn would not willingly have left Nahni behind. Even her panic at the sight of Loki's illusionary specter that had sent her fleeing in terror had not led Sigyn to discard her. 

Nahni had been a present from Loki for Asgard's Jul holiday, the holiday ancient northern Europeans had borrowed, and as with many other things misinterpreted, to create their Yule festival. Frigga had assisted him in his selection from a host of possible gifts and Sigyn had treasured her from the moment she received her, as she had all gifts Loki had bestowed upon her in the past, but perhaps none so much as Nahni. He retrieved Nahni from the ground and continued his search.

Loki turned his head as his ears picked up the sound of someone running towards him from behind. Heimdall came sprinting into view. Loki could see from his expression that something was seriously amiss.

"Heimdall! I can't find Sigyn! Have you seen-"

"Stay where you are!" Heimdall commanded Loki as he rushed past him deeper into the forest. Curious and even more anxious than before, Loki ignored Heimdall's instruction and sprinted after him.

Loki reached a clearing in the forest, the site of Bylgia's Pond, just in time to see Heimdall dive into the water. Confused and with a nagging sense of dread, Loki waited for him to resurface. As each second passed, Loki felt panic rising within him.

The water began to bubble and ripple as Heimdall's head finally broke through the surface of the water followed by his upper body as he made his way back to the edge of the pond, carrying something...someone, in his arms...Sigyn. She lay limp and motionless. Suddenly she began to choke and cough, gasping for air. Heimdall carried to the grassy area surrounding the pond, laying her on the ground as Loki hurried over to them. Heimdall turned her onto her side as she continued to cough up the water that had been inhaled into her lungs.

Loki was at a loss as to how or why Sigyn had ended up at the bottom of the pond. She also knew how to swim quite well. They had gone swimming in the same pond many times. It was unlikely even had she fallen in somehow that if she had been conscious she would have ended up in the predicament from which Heimdall had rescued her just in the nick of time.

Sigyn's coughing and gasping subsided as her lungs cleared, Heimdall assisting her to sit up as she began to cry. Loki handed Sigyn her doll, Sigyn clutching it tightly to herself with one arm.

"Loki!" she cried, throwing her free arm around him, Loki embracing her comfortingly as water dripped from her soaking into the fibers of his clothing as well. Heimdall stood over the two children.

"Thank you, good Heimdall." Loki told him, peering up at him gratefully.

"I will see you both safely home." Heimdall responded. Heimdall walked over to the pond as Loki continued to comfort Sigyn, her sobbing dying down to sniffles. 

Heimdall examined the shore of the pond, his own footprints in the soft sand and mud as they approached the water where he had entered. Only a few feet separated them from Sigyn's. He looked up, scanning the surrounding forest with his mind's keen eye with a look of trepidation.

"Come. The hour grows late." Heimdall said, turning from the pond and approaching the children, "Do not visit the forests or this place again unaccompanied." Heimdall told them as they walked back towards the trees, giving no explanation for his command. For once in his life, Loki had obeyed. They had never again entered the forests without Frigga or another adult accompanying them and they never again set their eyes upon Bylgia's Pond before Sigyn's exile. Even as an adult and with Sigyn and that day's events hidden from his memory, Loki had avoided the pond and the area around it, sensing darkness and danger though he could never explain why.

***************************************** 

Loki, Sigyn, and Sif had returned to New Asgard using the transport cylinder to gather clothing and other necessities. It was to be a quick excursion. It was anyone's guess now when Loriel would spring the attack upon them or even if the location Loki had been made privy to was accurate and not a red herring. He had spent most of his life designing clever ruses to fool and betray others. He found it more than a bit difficult now to have the shoe on the other foot. His confidence had taken a bit of a beating after Loriel's betrayal as he had at the time believed he was playing her like a fine fiddle. He had to keep reminding himself that in actuality he had pulled the wool over her eyes quite well. His plan would have went off beautifully had she not intended his destruction regardless. He had been far more pained, however, at the mortal danger in which his misreading of the situation had put Sigyn and the psychological and emotional torture she had been forced to endure.

He was still alive, so there was that, though he couldn't take any credit for that fact and hoped for the continued anonymity and safety of she who responsible for their rescue. He garnered much satisfaction at how their escape must have wounded Loriel's pride. He also had not been dissimulating in the least when he had said that he wanted Loriel to bear witness to his and Sigyn's 'extracurricular activity' of the previous night. He knew that alone would set aflame her hubris. He would have taken Sigyn at the foot of her throne with Loriel seated upon it if he could have done so...or better yet, upon her throne as she was forced to watch shackled and on her knees before it. The mere thought brought a smile of wicked satisfaction to Loki's face.

Returning to his dwelling in New Asgard, he and Sigyn packed clothing. She had put a song on the record player as they worked, it seemed as if she could hardly do anything without music. Loki found he quite liked the lyrics of the particular tune now playing with its mention of burning down houses. 

Loki replaced Quill's T-shirt he'd been wearing since the evening before with a snug black long sleeve shirt that matched well with the trousers of his former angelic outfit he continued to wear. He threw a few more shirts and pairs of pants into a duffel bag.

"I like this composition. It brings back fond memories." he said to Sigyn, referring to the song and his revenge on the Order of Jormungandr, as she packed her own clothing into another bag. 

"It's a good thing I didn't play Psycho Killer." Sigyn responded.

"You must play that one next." Loki replied with an evil smirk as Sigyn glanced up at him with a slight grin at the corners of her mouth. 

"I think that's all we need for now," Sigyn said as she finished packing, zipping up her bag, "We need to get over to Valkyrie's and meet up with Sif. None of us should be on our own for too long." Sigyn walked over to the record player, removing the needle from the record and shutting it off.

"Perhaps we should give her more time, she is packing for two..." Loki said as he looked down at his duffel bag on the bed. Sigyn looked over at Loki with a knowing grin, well aware what he was proposing yet not wanting to defer their return any longer than necessary under the circumstances. Hoisting her bag onto her shoulder, she made her way around the bed and past Loki in the direction of the door.

"I have a bit of a headache..."

***************************************** 

Exiting Loki's residence, he shut the door behind them as they began to walk down the street toting their bags, towards Valkyrie's home where Sif was packing for herself and Valkyrie. Sigyn spotted an object lying on the concrete on the other side of the street close to the path that led down to the sea which Loki had taken as he had followed Frigga the fateful night he had discovered Sigyn lying on the shore. 

"Hold on..." Sigyn said, entering the street and crossing over to the object, Loki following behind her.

Sigyn reached down picking up a baby doll dressed in a powder blue gown and bonnet. Her expression grew dark and troubled.

"What is it?" Loki asked as he looked at the doll. 

"Nahni..." Sigyn said.

"Who?" Loki asked before his memory was triggered. An Asgardian woman appearing to be around the same age as Sigyn opened the door to her house and stepped out, looking frantically around as if searching for something or someone. She spied Loki and Sigyn across the street holding the doll and rushed across the street to them.

"Solveigh! That's her doll! Have you seen her?"

Sigyn handed the doll to the woman as she dropped her bag and sprinted down the path. Loki dropped his bag as well, he and the woman running after Sigyn.

Sigyn arrived at the shore, looking up and down the shoreline before she saw them, the small footprints heading towards the sea and ending under the waves that lapped the shore. Peering out over the water, to her horror, Sigyn's eyes spotted what she had hoped against hope not to see. Sigyn's hand flew to her mouth, repressing a cry of despair. Loki, who had now caught up to her, turned his attention from Sigyn to look in the same direction out over the water, spying it as well. He wasted no time as he left Sigyn's side and entered the water.

As Loki carried the child's limp, lifeless body out of the water cradled in his arms, the little girl only somewhat younger than Sigyn had been that dark day at Bylgia's Pond, Sigyn knew it was too late.

********************************************* 

Valkyrie had returned to New Asgard upon hearing the news of Solveigh to grieve with her people and fulfill her responsibility as Asgard's monarch, promising to return as soon as possible. All Sigyn wanted was to be alone, though under current circumstances that was too dangerous. For centuries she had dreamed of not being alone yet now it was what she wished more than anything. The memories of that day at Bylgia's Pond had overwhelmed her and she knew what had happened to Solveigh was no unfortunate accident.

The last thing she remembered before she found herself choking and gasping in Heimdall's arms that day as he carried her from the pond was running with Nahni through the woods when she had seen it...the dark humanoid shadowy figure that looked as if any moment it could morph into anything it wanted to be...and then it had...into the beautiful woman with the snow white hair in the blue and gold gown. Her fear had instantly evaporated. She had stopped running and stared, transfixed. The woman had spoken to her and admired Nahni, asking if she could hold her. She had looked into the woman's deep blue eyes as she had handed her over. Sigyn was certain that Solveigh had experienced something similar in her last moments.

That was a true demon's power. It wasn't heads spinning and vomiting pea soup as in the movies she had watched on the island as entertaining as she had found them. It was luring people with beautiful lies and feigned kindness. Fishermen bait the hook with what fish crave and love, not what they abhor. That's what Loriel and her minions were doing now, fishing, among the most innocent, among those who were least able to defend themselves in order to lure Asgard's defenders away. Sigyn knew if they were to leave to protect those left of the Asgardian race in New Asgard, that would be the precise time that Loriel would bring her forces down upon them. Were they to stay where they were, Loriel and her minions would pick off those back in New Asgard one by one and there would be no Asgardians left to defend and save. Of course there was still the rest of Midgard's people, but to lose what was left of the once mighty realm that had for millennia been the protectors of the realms and beyond would be a tragedy beyond comprehension.

She had expected Loki to be affected by what they had witnessed. After all, it was he who had retrieved the girl from the water, held her in his arms, knowing before all the rest of them that there was nothing left to be done for her, that all hope was lost. He too could not escape into solitude in their current situation. He sat in the grass, his back against a rock, staring at a small flower he had picked from the ground next to him. He had pulled many of the tiny flowers from their earthly home and after staring at them for a time, plucked each petal before discarding the bare stem and mindlessly reaching out for another. For a time she had left him to do so as she needed her own time to devote to her silent thoughts. She now approached Loki and stood next to him in silence as he remained seated against the rock. He once again began to pluck each small petal from the flower in his hand. 

"I had forgotten that day, as I had so many others. I had done my best to forget before you were taken from me. She had a plan for me. I became her pawn. It's all I've ever been...Loriel...Thanos...they pulled the strings and I danced...all the time thinking it was to my own tune." Loki said as he tossed aside the bare stem of the flower before reaching for another. Sigyn knelt down and stayed his hand, holding it between both of her own, "Tell me...were there any children pulled from the rubble I left in my wake?" Sigyn remained silent. She didn't know how to answer, what was the right thing or even the wrong thing to say. She felt Loki take hold of her hand, crushing it painfully in his grip as he looked into her eyes, his expression desperate and anguished, "Tell me!"

"I don't know." Sigyn answered.

"I'm a monster. Barton spoke truth, I don't deserve you." Loki said mournfully.

"It's not about whether you deserve me. Your mother, my mother...they could have sent me to anyone, to Thor, to Sif...they sent me to you. Did Odin 'deserve' Frigga?" Sigyn asked him.

"Most certainly not." Loki replied, "It seems his ledger was far redder than even my own."

"Yet she remained by his side even knowing what had come before. It's time to leave behind all that's been lost. It's time to find the new." Sigyn said.

Loki pulled Sigyn to him, holding her tightly as if she was the lifeline of a drowning man.

"I believed I would never again know a woman as wise as my mother."

"I'm sorry to interrupt..." Loki and Sigyn looked up to see Dr. Strange, "I've been conferring with my colleagues. There may be a way to keep the people of New Asgard from harm. Do you know the story of Sleeping Beauty?" asked Strange.

**************************************

Dr. Strange's suggestion was readily accepted by Valkyrie. Within the hour, the plan was already moving forward.

The people of New Asgard experienced a sense of deja vu as they once again found themselves hidden away within a system of caves miles from home. After Strange, Wong and several other Masters of the Mystic Arts completed their task, every Asgardian, with the exception of those who had volunteered to join the others in camp to await the coming invasion, was safely enchanted into a hibernation like sleep. The entrance to the cave was then sealed not to be reopened until the danger had passed. There would be no more drowned children, no others used as weapons to murder their fellow brothers and sisters of Asgard. New Asgard lay silent and abandoned.


	19. Chapter 19

Sigyn strolled towards the gangway of Quill's ship as Thor exited. He looked past her at Loki, still seated with his back against a rock. Thor's concern for his brother was evident in his expression.

"Is he alright?" Thor asked Sigyn. She gave Thor a wan smile, glancing over her shoulder at Loki.

"He will be." Sigyn answered.

"I cannot even begin to imagine the level of depravity..."

"It's what she is. It's what she feeds on. Loriel draws her power from a limitless source, suffering, and she lives for creating more. You should go to him. He needs you."Sigyn told Thor.

"I'm afraid I wouldn't know what to say."

"You don't need to say anything." Sigyn said. Thor nodded and walked past her towards Loki. Reaching him, he sat down next to Loki, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Sigyn entered Quill's ship. She glanced towards the cockpit and saw Quill sitting in the pilot's seat, staring out of the front window in silence seemingly oblivious to her presence. Making her way to the front of the ship, she seated herself in the copilot's seat. Quill turned his head in her direction before returning his gaze forward.

"You ok?' Sigyn asked.

"Only hurts when I laugh. Not doing much of that." Quill answered glumly.

"Yeah, me either."

"Barton told me...what I did..."

"It wasn't you." Sigyn told him. 

"It sure feels like it was me." Quill said, wincing as he touched one of the knots on his head.

"You don't remember anything?" Sigyn asked. 

"Not the first time I've woke up next to a girl with no idea what happened. Just never woke up to being clubbed in the head before. Guess I've just been lucky." 

"It's probably good that you don't remember." 

"Maybe." Quill said sounding forlorn. 

Sigyn reached over, putting a hand to Quill's cheek and turning his head to face her before pressing her lips to his. Ending the kiss, she stood and made her way towards the exit, leaving Quill stunned and speechless. 

"It's awful quiet around here, but then I suppose with your head..." Sigyn said as she reached the gangway, turning back to face him.

"No...I'm good." Quill managed to say.

As Sigyn exited the ship, music began to play from within. 

********************************************

Clint Barton, sitting on the metal chest near the dead fire pit, looked down at a cell phone in his hand as he heard music begin to blare from Quill's ship. He typed out a message as a butterfly landed on the end of the phone. Glancing at it, he watched it open and close its wings before it unexpectedly disappeared in a quick flash of light. He looked up to see Sigyn approaching him.

"Didn't know you could do that too." he said, somewhat uncomfortably.

"That's about the limits of my talent so far."

"Practice makes perfect." Barton said, returning his attention to the phone, quickly finishing the message and sending it before putting the phone away. 

"Why are you here?" Sigyn asked, Barton taken by surprise at the unexpected question.

"Same reason everyone else is. Thor told me what was going down-"

"That wasn't your family you were just talking to." 

"No," Barton answered honestly. "My boss...guess you could call him that. Just giving him an update on the mission."

"And which mission would that be? The one you say you're here for...or the other one?" Sigyn asked.

Barton wasn't used to being on the interviewee side of the interrogation. He remained silent for a moment as she stared him down.

"I'm not sure what-" Barton began.

"Do you always follow orders?" Sigyn asked.

"I get some leeway. I've been given orders and made a different call. They've learned to trust my judgement."

"I could stop you but there'd just be someone after you. If they trust you the way you say they do, if you do make a different call, maybe that'll be the end of it. Just do me a favor...if you decide to go through with it, save one of those arrows for me." Sigyn turned and began to walk away, Barton rendered momentarily speechless.

"What do you see in him anyway?" Barton asked. 

"I think it's more about what you do. Maybe they're right...maybe you're right...maybe he deserves it...maybe nothing he may do could ever make up for what he did. That's for you to decide." Sigyn turned from Barton and walked away, leaving him to ponder what she had said.

**************************************** 

Quill was scrolling through songs making another playlist, at the same time glancing up through the front windows at the Asgardians who had volunteered to join the fight sparring with each other with swords a few yards in front of the ship. A familiar chirping sound emanated from the console in front of him.

Thor and Loki sat silently by the rock where Loki had been sitting since his return from New Asgard. Dr. Strange, Valkyrie, and the other masters had just returned from their expedition to ensure the safety of the remaining Asgardians. As Thor looked over at them exiting the truck in which they'd arrived, Quill appeared at the hatch of his ship.

"Thor! It's Eitri!" Thor looked over to Quill in surprise. Eitri, the forge master dwarf who had made his hammer Mjolnir and his axe was the last of his kind left on Nidavellir after Thano's massacre upon the completion of the Infinity Gauntlet. His hands had been rendered useless by Thanos, encased in metal, so that he could no longer make weapons for others. After Thano's demise, Thor had returned to Nidavellir and taken Eitri to the realm of the light elves, Alfheim, where they had welcomed him and agreed to assist him when necessary due to his handicap and he had offered to pass on his knowledge of forging to those elves with a desire to learn. He hoped at some point in the future to be able to return to Nidavellir and make repairs and continue his work with his new elven apprentices.

"Eitri?" Thor said, rising and sprinting to the ship, Loki following.

"Thor?" Eitri's voice came through the com console, the communication slightly marred by static. Thor rushed to the pilot's seat and sat down as Quill stood behind. Loki entering the ship a few moments after Thor walked over to stand next to Quill behind Thor.

"Yes, Eitri. I'm here." Thor answered.

"Thor! Alfheim has been attacked! It was Angels! I could hardly trust my own eyes!".

"Are you alright? Are you safe?" Thor asked. 

"Yes...for now. They destroyed all in sight. Many elves died this day. The rest of us fled to the mountains. That's where we remain now. Jotunheim and Vanaheim have also fallen." Eitri informed Thor.

"I'll use Stormbreaker to summon the Bifrost-"

"No! Do not come here. Even you could not defeat them yourself. Where are you now?" Eitri asked.

"Midgard. We've been expecting an attack here but it has yet to come."

"I can't imagine it will be long. I had to try to warn you if I could so you could defend Asgard, what remains of it." Eitri told Thor. The transmission again was interrupted by a burst of static.

"Remain in the mountains. I will try to contact you again when this is over." Thor told Eitri once the static had cleared.

"If it happens that we do not speak again, it has been an honor to know and be of service to you." Eitri replied.

"The honor has been mine, Eitri. Thank you."

The communication cut off for the final time in another burst of static.

Thor turned to Quill and Loki as Sigyn, Valkyrie, Sif, Dr. Strange and Barton entered the ship.

"What's going on?" Valkyrie asked.

"Alfheim has been attacked. Jotunheim and Vanaheim have also fallen." Thor told them.

"So that's where she's been! Attacking the smaller realms, building her strength. I should have known she'd never take on Midgard first!" Valkyrie exclaimed.

Just as she finished speaking, a rumbling commenced outside the ship, the earth shaking for a few moments before a bright, glittering curtain of golden light drew down from the sky into the field. The Asgardians outside the ship were knocked off their feet along with the Masters of the Mystic Arts who stood near them.

Thor, Sigyn and the others rushed to the hatch. Loki held back, grabbing Quill's arm as the rest descended the gangway.

""The Gamora you seek is not the one you knew. If I fall, take her and go. Leave this place! Get her as far from this realm as you can! She will resist you. Do what you must. Perhaps she may still have a chance at happiness. Will you do this for me?" Quill understood what Loki was telling him though he could hardly believe what he was hearing.

"Yeah...of course..." Quill told him.

"Swear it!" Loki exclaimed squeezing Quill's arm tightly as Quill winced.

"Yeah...yeah...I swear." Quill responded. Loki released Quill, both heading towards the hatch.

*********************************** 

The Masters of the Mystic Arts, Dr. Strange and Wong among them, gathered and made their way towards the wide curtain of golden light. The Asgardian volunteers took up their swords and made ready for battle. Thor with Stormbreaker, Loki, his daggers at the ready, Valkyrie and Sif both armed with swords, Quill and Sigyn gathered together in front of the Asgardian volunteers, ready to meet the foe.

The Masters were suddenly thrown back by an invisible surge of energy. The gold curtain ascended leaving only a lone figure standing in the field. Loriel stepped forward in her white and gold battle suit, taking in the scene before her. An evil smile crossed her face as she began to speak.

"One big, happy family I see." Loriel said to those gathered. The masters picked themselves up off the ground and regrouped near Thor and the others, "Do you actually believe that you can defeat the combined might of my forces?" Loriel looked directly at Loki, "King of the Jotunheim, I have come to make you an offer. I was not being dishonest when I said that your death would be a waste of your talents. The universe is a big place. I could not hope to govern it all myself. You once wished to rule this realm."

"I have no desire to ever again be another's puppet." Loki told her.

"Come now, the outcome will be the same. Why not benefit from it? It's certainly not worth dying. If it's your wish I won't do away with your precious Sigyn. I will only make her see the error of her ways...return her to you a new woman to rule at your side and beget you heirs to someday serve me as well, but then maybe not. The spawn of a Jotun and one of tainted blood would be wretched creatures. You would most likely be moved to drown them." Loriel sneered.

"I grow bored with this prattle. Bring your army so we may end this." Thor said.

"It will not be you that ends this, son of Odin." Loriel turned her attention to Sigyn, "Oh...it appears I'm still alive. Promises, promises!" Loriel said as she produced a metallic orb and tossed it at Sigyn. Loki jumped in front of her, knocking her to the ground as he batted the orb away. A large blast of gold shimmering light and invisible energy erupted from it, sending Loki flying back. His body hurtled through the open air until finally losing momentum and falling, smashing into a large rock. He lay sprawled against the rock, limp and motionless. Sigyn, picking herself up from the ground, rushed to his side.

The Ladder's golden curtain of light descended around Loriel before ascending again taking her along with it as a frantic Sigyn kneeled beside Loki.

"No! Loki!" Sigyn cried as she patted his face, shook him, then moved his body from the rock, cradling him in her arms, his blood from the wound on the back of his head on her hands and transferring to the sleeve of her tunic where his head lay as she rocked as she held him, pleading for him to wake, "I won't let you leave me! You can't leave me!"

**********************************

Loki opened his eyes as if he had merely blinked to find himself standing in Odin's throne room on Asgard. He was dressed similarly to the formal clothing he had worn to Thor's aborted coronation. He stood facing Sigyn who was smiling brightly. She was dressed in a sky blue gown of rich brocaded fabric, her hair arranged in an elaborately coiffed and plaited style similar to how Frigga frequently wore her own, topped off with a tiara of glittering white gems arranged like stars. The throne room was crowded from wall to wall with people. He saw his mother smiling at him from a few feet away. Odin stood before Loki and Sigyn who grasped each others' hands. Thor, who had been standing behind Loki, stepped to Loki's side and handed him a gold band. He slipped it onto Sigyn's finger as he heard himself speaking the traditional vows.

"I give you that which is mine to give. I pledge to you my living and my dying, each equally in your care. I shall be your shield and shall honor you above all others."

Sif, who had been standing behind Sigyn, stepped forward and handed her a gold band that she slipped onto Loki's finger, repeating the vows he had just made. Their hands now clasped, Odin wrapped a thick, golden cord around them from wrist to wrist.

"What I have joined will be joined eternal, heart to heart, hand to hand. You now belong forever to each other." Odin proclaimed, his voice booming through the throne room. Loki stood staring at the beautiful visage of Sigyn as she smiled at him before both moved to share a kiss, Loki hearing the applause and cheering of the crowd as he closed his eyes, feeling his lips meet hers.

Loki opened his eyes to find himself once again in the throne room, now pacing. The crowd was gone, only himself, Thor, and Odin present. He somehow knew why he was there as if he had lived all the moments leading up to it. Odin sat on the throne watching Loki with an expression of mild amusement. Thor stood near the dais of the throne.

"Damn archaic traditions!" Loki grumbled loudly, "I should be with her!"

"The women folk require your assistance in this matter as much as serpents have need of boots." Odin told him in his usual even tone.

"All will be well, brother. Mother is with her. I'm sure the wait will not be much longer."

"You said that two hours ago." Loki said.

"Calm yourself, my son. Nature takes its own course." said Odin.

Loki stopped pacing as he heard footsteps approaching from the entrance to the throne room. Frigga approached, carrying something wrapped in a blanket in her arms. Thor stepped over to Loki, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Frigga reached them, a beaming smile on her face, an infant in her arms swaddled in a blanket.

"My son, your first born, a daughter." Frigga said to Loki as he looked, spellbound, upon the newborn baby in Frigga's arms. Frigga left Loki to stand before the throne.

"My king, your first born grandchild." Odin rose from his throne and stepped down from it. He gently put his hand onto the forehead of the infant.

"I, Odin, King of Asgard, bless this child now and for all her days," Odin paused before continuing, "and may she give her father as much grief as he has given me." Frigga returned to Loki and transferred the swaddled baby into his arms, somewhat awkwardly as Loki had little experience. Loki continued to stare down at the infant, grinning.

"Mother...she's..." Loki couldn't get the words out.

"Beautiful...perfect." Frigga finished for him.

"And Sigyn?" he asked her.

"She came through safely. She's resting after her ordeal. All is well."

Loki suddenly found himself standing in front of the door of a suite of rooms in the palace. He held a square white box in his hands. As before, he seemed to know why he was there, what had gone before, as if it were any ordinary day. He opened the door and stepped inside the richly furnished room to see Sigyn dressed in an Asgardian gown sitting on a plush chair, a little girl sitting on a stool in front of her. Sigyn finished plaiting the sides of the girl's hair, bringing both plaits around to the back and winding them around each other.

"Pabbi!" The little girl cried out happily, jumping up from the stool and running towards Loki, the plaits in her hair coming loose. Sigyn sighed and stood, smiling at Loki who had picked the girl up in one arm. He handed the box in his other hand to Sigyn. Sigyn opened it, smiling as she discovered that the box was filled with small red berries. Loki spun the girl around as she laughed.

"You remembered. I knew you would." Sigyn said, taking a berry from the box and putting it into her mouth.

"And how is my little Nonna? Have you been a good girl for your mother? Don't lie..." Loki asked the young girl in his arms.

"A lot good...just a little bad." Nonna said. Loki looked over to Sigyn who was eating another berry as if seeking confirmation of Nonna's statement.

"That's the way of it, for the most part." Sigyn said.

"Ah...well, there must be some bad to even things out. I would accept no less." Loki said. 

On the other side of the room, a toddler boy pulled himself up to stand at the edge of what resembled a playpen and rubbed his eyes. Sigyn placed the box of berries onto a table and walked over to the child, lifting him from his confines.

"I had hoped you'd sleep a little longer. Nonna, get your shoes, we're going to the gardens." Sigyn told the little girl in Loki's arms. As Loki lowered her to the floor she ran off.

Loki took the boy from Sigyn's arms and hugged him, kissing him on the cheek.

"I missed you!" he said to the boy.

"So how was it?" Sigyn asked.

"As I expected, each side sniping at the other, no one able to come to any sort of agreement. I had to practically threaten to string them up by their entrails."

"My father never mentioned that particular negotiating tactic." Sigyn said with a grin.

"I'll leave them to it for another few months before I return and most likely revisit the same issues all over again. Perhaps Thor's preferred method of solving disputes is better than I thought. It would be far easier to bash their heads in."

Loki put the toddler down and he toddled away towards the table. Loki took Sigyn in his arms, kissing her.

"You may want to rethink that time table." Sigyn said.

"Why is that?" he asked, still holding Sigyn in his arms.

"Because in another few months we're going to be very busy. I've been absolutely dying for niffleberries. Why did you think I asked for them?" Loki stared at Sigyn for a moment, mentally putting the pieces together before a grin spread across his face.

"You're...?"

Sigyn smiled and nodded. Loki kissed her again, holding her tightly.

"We're going to be outnumbered. That's not a wise strategic position." Loki told her.

"I wasn't aware we were at war." Sigyn said with a laugh.

"We most likely soon will be." Loki answered. Sigyn looked over Loki's shoulder to see the boy reaching up with his hand in the box of berries which tipped over, berries rolling across the table.

"I think you're right." She said, pulling away from Loki and rushing over, picking up the boy and handing him to Loki as she corralled the berries, putting them back into the box. Nonna came running back into the room with her shoes on.

"I'm ready! Are you coming pabbi?" Nonna asked Loki.

"Perhaps another time. I'm rather played out. Disemboweling people takes a lot out of one." Loki joked.

"Disen-vow-ing?" Nonna asked looking puzzled.

"I'll explain when you're older. Perhaps you may someday bring someone home on which I'll demonstrate." Loki said. Sigyn looked over at him with a wry smile.

Sigyn took Nonna's hand as she carried the boy in her other arm gave Loki a quick kiss on the cheek before heading to the door with the children.

"Get some rest." Sigyn told him. The three exited, leaving Loki alone.

Loki walked over to the balcony, looking out over Asgard.

"This is what I wanted for you." he heard Frigga's voice say from behind him. He turned, startled, unaware of his mother's presence in the room, "The fates willed it not be so." Frigga said sadly. Loki's memory of reality began to return. He realized that all he had just experienced were mere visions. He recalled his last memory...pushing Sigyn out of harm's way, the blast...then nothing as everything had gone black.

"Am I dead?" he asked Frigga.

"You have been dead before. Do you not remember?" Frigga said.

"I don't remember this...any of this..." Loki told her as Frigga approached him.

"You are in a place between. You have a choice. You may remain here, live out this life...time passes differently here. You could be happy. It would be easier. Or you can go back. The decision is yours."

"This isn't real. I must go back."

"You have it?" Frigga asked.

"Yes." Loki answered, knowing to what his mother referred.

"I will be ready." Frigga said. Loki took her hands in his. As he did so, the scene around him faded.


	20. Chapter 20

Sigyn cradled Loki in her arms. Her pleas for him to wake, to stay with her were now mere hoarse whispers. Thor sent Dr. Strange and the other masters to their positions to prepare for the imminent invasion. His heart was with his fallen brother, but the circumstances did not allow him the luxury of acting on his feelings. Regardless, he knew that Loki's fate was not something he had the power to change any more than he had that dark day on the Statesman. He did perhaps have the power when it came to the fate of what remained of his people and the realm they now called home. He coordinated a contingent of the Asgardian volunteers to form a defense around the masters. They must be protected and allowed to do their work as long as possible if there was any chance to be victorious.

Quill was in a quandary. He had made a promise to Loki, had been entrusted with Sigyn's safety should Loki fall as it now appeared had happened, but was unsure of when exactly he should act. 

A shadow fell over Sigyn as she held Loki. She glanced up to see Barton standing over her before returning her attention to Loki. Barton knelt and felt for the artery on Loki's neck.

"He's got a pulse...it's thready. Not sure if this will work. It's only ever been used on humans. I can't promise anything." Barton said. Sigyn looked from Loki to Barton, appearing surprised.

"Why..." she asked, barely audible, unable to say more, Barton's offer of assistance confusing her.

"Making a different call." Barton said. He recalled another time he had done so, another mission to eliminate someone who had been deemed a threat, someone who also had quite a bit of red in their ledger. Someone who had been on his mind quite often as of late.

Barton removed a small, narrow metallic cylinder from a case and put the end of it to Loki's neck where he had felt his pulse. Sigyn heard a slight, quick hissing sound. Barton put the cylinder back in the case.

Sigyn stared down at Loki, looking expectantly and hopefully for any sign of a change in his condition. Loki remained still and lifeless in her arms. Her hope began to fade before she saw it, a slight movement of his eyes beneath his eyelids.

"Loki? Loki...can you hear me?" she said, smoothing his hair back then gently caressing his cheek.

Loki's head felt to him as if it were filled with lead. A dull ache engulfed it as he struggled to open his eyes, his eyelids feeling as if they were weighted. He squinted as he managed to finally raise them, his eyes adjusting to the sunlight. His blurred vision slowly cleared, his brain processing the image of Sigyn, her face streaked with tears. His mind was in a fog, his thoughts jumbled as one waking from a long, deep sleep.

"Sigyn...I had the most wonderful dream..." Loki said as Sigyn's tears of sorrow now transitioned to those of joy.

"Don't tell me...the scarecrow, the tin man, and the cowardly lion were there...except the wicked witch. She was just here." Barton said.

Loki struggled to sit up, Sigyn assisting him. He reached his hand to the back of his head and winced, feeling the stickiness of the blood in his hair, bringing his hand back around and looking at the red staining his fingers.

"You're lucky your brain's not splattered all over that rock." Barton said. Loki eyed Barton in confusion, wondering why of all people Barton was there by his side. Sigyn gleaned Loki's internal questioning from his expression.

"You were dying. He brought you back." Sigyn told him. Loki appeared dumbfounded at the revelation.

"I can't stand to see a girl cry." Barton said and stood up, turning and making his way back to where Thor stood, coordinating their defense.

Loki rose unsteadily. Sigyn stood with him, taking hold of his arm.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea." Sigyn told him.

"She must see me on my feet." Loki responded to Sigyn's concern.

The same quaking and rumbling as before began across the landscape. The defenders of Asgard were now more prepared to weather it without losing their footing. From the sky the same gold, shimmering curtain of energy and light began to descend.

"Is this it?" Quill asked Thor. Thor, steeling himself for what was about to transpire, gripped Stormbreaker as he watched the Ladder make its way downward.

"This day we shall either emerge victorious or join our ancestors in Valhalla." Thor said. Quill turned from Thor and rushed towards his ship. Barton, pulling an arrow from the quiver on his back and readying his bow, looked over to Thor.

"Fury has a boat off the coast. If we can't hold them...I'll see you there." Barton told him. Thor knew that the place Barton was referring to was not Fury's boat and nodded in acknowledgement.

"Now!" Dr Strange called out to his fellow Masters of the Mystic Arts, gathered in a large circular formation around where the Ladder's light would meet the earth. With identical sweeping gestures, the Masters collectively opened a large portal just above and parallel to the earth. The portal opened above Sigyn's island.

"The time has come. Do you remember?" Loki asked Sigyn.

"Yes." Sigyn replied. Loki grimaced as a bolt of pain shot through his still aching head. He held his head in his hand.

"You don't have to prove anything." Sigyn said.

"Go!" Loki told her. Sigyn turned and sprinted towards Quill's ship.

Sigyn ran up the gangway of Quill's ship, entering just after him as he was turning to make his way to the pilot's seat.

"Wait!" Sigyn called to him. Quill turned to see Sigyn rush through the hatch into the next compartment. Sigyn threw open the door of a locker and pulled out the sheathed sword and dagger, buckling them around her waist and then closed her eyes, concentrating deeply, holding out her hand, her palm facing the empty locker. The Horn of Naglfar and the Salom Stone appeared. Opening her eyes she smiled at her success and grabbed them, slipping the Salom Stone into a pocket in her tunic before turning and rushing back out of the hatch. As Sigyn entered the forward portion of the ship, she saw Quill standing there. Sigyn ran to Quill, the two embracing. 

"Let's dance." she said to Quill with a gleam in her eye before she turned from him and rushed out of the main hatch and down the gangway. Quill retracted the gangway and closed the hatch, making his way to the pilot's seat and spinning up the ship's engines as he called up the playlist he had previously been putting together.

Dr. Strange and the the other masters held their portal open as the Ladder descended through it. The golden light stopped at the surface of Sigyn's island, angel warriors in full battle dress, wings on their back, poured from it into the field of Sigyn's island and almost instantly found themselves erupting into flames. Shrieks and screams came through the portal as more and more angels exiting the Ladder's light found themselves put to an invisible torch. Angels who had just made their way out of the light, seeing others bursting into balls of fire used their wings to propel themselves from the ground but quickly found themselves hurtling back to earth in a conflagration. 

The flaming bodies of dead and dying angels began to pile up before the Ladder on the island, angels emerging from the golden light above them in flight also falling like moths in a flame. Smoke rose from the open portal. An occasional angel would succeed in rising out of the portal, Barton dispatching them quickly with an arrow from his bow, their impaled bodies falling back through the portal.

"How long do you think they can hold it?" Barton asked, shooting another arrow at an escaped angel, reaching back into his quiver for another.

"Every second increases our chances." Thor answered.

More angels began to escape the portal. Barton continued to pick off what he could, other angels with swords or scepters swooping down towards the masters and the Asgardian volunteers in a ring surrounding them. One master was struck with a blast from the scepter of an escaping angel, falling by the way, the other masters continuing to hold the portal open. Barton quickly targeted the angel, sending him careening from the sky. A handful of angels descended upon the Asgardians but were quickly dispatched, run through by Asgardian swords. Quill had piloted his ship to circle around the Ladder's light. Engaging his new defense system he flew his ship into more escaping angels, their bodies falling to the ground as they succumbed to electrical charges surrounding Quill's ship.

Sigyn reached Loki's side, both watching what was taking place with a mix of awe and satisfaction.

"Maybe we won't need this." Sigyn said, holding out the Horn of Naglfar.

A blast of invisible energy suddenly rolled across the field of battle. It spread out as far as Thor and Barton. The Masters were knocked off their feet and through the air, the portal closing. The Masters and their Asgardian protectors found themselves sprawled across the field. 

"I jinxed it, didn't I?" Sigyn said.

Thor and Barton picked themselves up off the ground and looked in the direction from which the blast had come to see Loriel. Angel warriors began to again exit the Ladder in droves, some taking flight as they emerged from the Ladder's shimmering light, immediately beginning to rain destruction down upon the defenders of Asgard. Blasts from the scepters held by some of the angels hit Asgardian fighters. Others, missing their targets, created smoking craters. Angels with swords attacked the Asgardians and the Masters, the Masters throwing up magical defenses and shields.

Angels attacked Quill's ship in large numbers, some falling to the ground, overcome by the shocks, Quill managed to rid the ship of them but feared becoming overwhelmed by their numbers . He piloted the ship to the ground where it had previously rested and exited with his blaster, rushing to Sigyn and Loki.

"Just so you know, this wasn't my plan." Quill told them.

"What was your plan?" Sigyn asked.

"I hadn't come up with one. Didn't think this one was gonna suck. Guess I should get up there." Quill said, activating his helmet.

"Wait!" Sigyn exclaimed, running for the ship. She entered and after a few moments, reappeared, running towards Quill carrying the pillowcase she had brought from Heven, containing the grenade-like metallic orbs. She reached in, grabbing an orb and handing it to Quill. Quill examined one, gleaning how to detonate it and then attached it to his belt as Sigyn handed him more, "Good luck!" she told him as he jetted off to join the fight. Sigyn began to attach the remaining orbs to the belt around her own waist.

"What are you doing?" Loki asked.

"What do you think I'm doing? You gonna use that thing or what?" Sigyn asked before taking off to join the fray.

"Wait! Sigyn!" Loki called after her, Sigyn ignoring him as she continued to run towards the action. He looked down at the Horn of Naglfar in his hand.

Barton, under attack from an angel from the air threw himself to the ground, rolling away from repeated blasts of the angel's scepter. He managed to ready his bow with an arrow as he rolled and then aimed quickly, letting the arrow fly, the angel plummeting to the ground. Sigyn ran up to the angel's body and began to remove the winged harness. Barton stood, watching her, then looking up, aimed another arrow at another angel, taking him down before turning his attention back to Sigyn who was now wearing the wings.

"You know how to use that thing?" he asked.

"Kind of. Haven't since I was a kid. Hoping it's like riding a bike...but then I've never done that either. It's on my list, though."

"Got Laura's old one in the shed. Wouldn't take much to fix it up. It's yours if you want it." Barton said, tracking another angel and setting another arrow free to find it's mark.

"Might take you up on that." Sigyn said, pulling her sword from it's sheath, "I never thanked you...what you did for Loki."

"Didn't do it for him." Barton replied, notching another arrow in his bow, "Watch yourself up there."

Sigyn nodded and looked upwards before swiftly shooting off the ground.

Loki with an expression dark with anxiety as he watched Sigyn in the distance ascend into the air, raised the Horn of Naglfar.

Quill looked down at the battle raging below him. Thor battled multiple Angels with Stormbreaker, Valkyrie and Sif taking on attacking enemy with their swords. Quill blasted an angel as it flew at him before removing one of the orbs from his belt and activating it, throwing it at a circling group of the enemy. The blast sent them hurtling to the ground. Suddenly, a streak of blue, gold and white flew upwards past him. He looked up to see Sigyn run an angel through with her sword who had been descending towards Quill and had mistook her for an ally. The angel fell as she pulled her sword, Quill quickly maneuvering aside to avoid the body.

"What the hell?" Quill said aloud. Sigyn looked down at Quill and smiled before flying off again.

Thor took down another angel, recovering his axe when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"I told you it would not be you who would end this, son of Odin." Thor turned to see Loriel behind him. He began to raise Stormbreaker to attack as Loriel unleashed a blast of energy from her outstretched hands, sending Thor flying backwards, landing on his back on the ground, "Look around you. You're only delaying the inevitable. All this chaos, death, suffering...I grow stronger each passing minute." Thor raised his upper half off the ground raising Stormbreaker to hurtle it at Loriel as he stared her down, but found himself unable to do so. Stormbreaker fell from his grasp onto the ground. As Loriel continued to advance towards him he found his own hands wrapping themselves around his throat as his eyes remained locked with hers.

From the direction of Quill's ship, a loud trumpeting sound echoed across the battlefield. Loriel turned her head towards it, her spell over Thor broken as she looked away from him. Asgardian warriors began to appear on the battlefield, warriors from times even ancient to Thor and Loki among them, hundreds upon hundreds of warriors called back from their rest in Valhalla, Odin, his father Bor and Bor's father Buri among them standing at the front of the throng. Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg stood together, Heimdall not far from them. Frigga stood beside Odin, a sword in her hand. Valkyrie who had also looked towards the sound saw descending on their steeds from above the resurrected warriors countless numbers of previously slain Valkyrie, including those with whom she had battled Hela on that terrible day. The battle had ground to a halt as both angels and Asgardians and the Masters of the Mystic Arts stood bewildered at what they were witnessing.

"Loriel! Your reign is over." Odin called from across the battlefield in a booming voice. Behind Loriel, Thor rose from the ground having retrieved Stormbreaker. Sigyn and Quill descended beside him. 

With a simultaneous battle cry, the resurrected warriors rushed to meet the angels, the battle recommencing. Angels began to fall before the onslaught, overwhelmed by the vastly superior numbers of the Asgardians. Barton again began to take down angels from the air.

"Looks like you could use some help." Barton turned at the sound of the voice he recognized but had not heard for years. 

"Nat?" Barton came close to dropping his bow as he laid eyes on her. Natasha Romanov, whose body he had last seen broken at the bottom of a cliff on Vormir, stood before him.

An angel descended behind her, preparing to run her through with his sword. She kicked her leg back, knocking the sword out of his hand before flipping the angel over her shoulder, wrapping her arm around his neck and snapping it, dropping him to the ground.

As the warriors advanced towards Loriel and Thor and Sigyn rushed up on her from behind, Loriel vanished. 

"Where did she go?" Sigyn asked anxiously, scanning the battlefield. 


	21. Chapter 21

"You've proven to be a difficult man to kill." 

Loki did not startle or appear in the least surprised to hear Loriel's voice. She now stood but a few feet behind him. He continued to face the field of battle, observing as the fighting reached its conclusion. 

"Not so. I died every day for centuries...only to be reborn with each new dawn to do it all over again." Loki responded.

"The most exquisite suffering does not come from physical death, at least not for those doing the dying."

"For once you speak truth. Is it not painful for you?" Loki asked.

"Do you still not see? I am the truth of life...pain, suffering, loss, death...they, like me, are eternal. You cannot kill me. As long as they exist, so shall I."

"There is far more to life. I have now been shown them." Loki replied, thinking of both his reunion with Sigyn and his recent visions.

"Those things serve only to make one weak. If I had loved Odin or Hela I would not stand before you today the ruler of realms, commanding an army as once you sought to do."

"I too once commanded an army. I knew what it was to have others kneel before me...and yet that emptiness remained. I would have traded it all to simply pick flowers in the fields with her as we once did."

"And that is why you failed, you lacked conviction." Loriel's words struck a chord in Loki. He had heard them before as he had conversed with the dying Coulson. Somehow the man had known...not the details of course, but he had been wise, particularly for a mortal, perhaps the death Loki had brought about that he regretted most of all, "Think how easy it was for me to destroy you and then through you bring about the suffering and destruction of others. All I had to do was take her from you."

Loki continued to watch the army of the dead and their living allies continue to put down Loriel's army. He saw his old compatriots, Volstagg, Fandral, and Hogun battling as they had once done by his and Thor's side. He witnessed his mother, sword in hand, battle an angel as fiercely as she had Malekith the day she had died. On the far side of the field, Barton and Romanov once again partnered in defeating the foe. 

"As I once did for Odin, I can remove that burden from you. You will be as I am. There will be nothing to hold you back. I will give you Jotunheim, this realm, others to rule in my stead. I set my sights higher. Nor will you lack pleasures. There are many kinds...those which even you do not yet know. I will show you all that could be." Loriel told Loki seductively.

"There was a time your offer would have appealed to me, but now...I have seen all I could ever hope someday to be." Loki replied

"It is true, the dead should remain dead. A pity you are no longer the man upon which Thanos bestowed a relic of such power."

"I have not ceased to be that man. I will not hesitate to put to the blade or to the flames those who have earned that fate. Your Order of Jormungandr learned that lesson well. There are some things will never change. I will always be the trickster, the God of Mischief..." Loki turned to face Loriel who now raised the sword she held in her hand, "I will always be Loki of Asgard."

Loriel thrust her sword towards Loki. As she did so, Loki's illusion dematerialized. At the same time, the blades of two daggers entered Loriel's lower back, held in the hands of Solveigh, the child Loriel had led to her death in the sea. Solveigh withdrew the daggers and turned, handing them back to Loki who stood behind her. Lowering himself to one knee, Loki put his arms around the girl he had called back to take her vengeance on Loriel. Solveigh smiled at Loki as she faded, returning to her rest in Valhalla.

As Loki rose to his feet, Loriel began to laugh as the wounds inflicted by Solveigh closed.

"Did you really think it would be that easy?" 

Loriel turned to face the real Loki. Loki was horrified as Loriel glared at him, her eyes aflame with hatred as she morphed into her true form, the demoness. Her hair had changed from wavy pure white to long, straight, and black as were her eyes, black also ringing them. Loriel's skin was as pale as a corpse, her hands claw-like, her teeth now fangs.

"Perhaps I was too hasty. It would be far from the first time. Regarding your generous offer...tell me more of these pleasures-" Loki said, as he feigned a grin, slowly backing away as Loriel laughed evilly.

"I'm afraid that offer has expired, just as you are about to do."

Loriel again raised her sword to strike dowen Loki just as Stormbreaker embedded itself in Loriel's back. Loriel stood stunned, her eyes so wide Loki thought for a moment they might pop out of her head. Sigyn descended quickly behind Loriel, raising her sword in both hands and swinging it, the blade slicing through Loriel's neck, her head careening through the air before falling to the earth and rolling away. Thor appeared at Sigyn's side, removing his axe from Loriel's back as her headless body sank heavily to the ground. Loki's shoulders relaxed, his cheeks puffing out as he exhaled a sigh of relief.

"What took you so long?!" Loki exclaimed, sounding perturbed.

"If you hadn't noticed there's a battle going on! What about you? You could have done that as well as I!" Sigyn shot back.

"Of course I could have but I knew if I did, you would have inadvertently broken your promise and you would never sleep. I'd wake in the middle of the night to find that you had once again wandered off to ruminate!" 

"Well...you know how to solve that problem!" Sigyn retorted.

Loki approached Sigyn, taking her in his arms as Thor looked on, puzzled.

"I certainty do," Loki said with a sly grin, "I suppose that could be the solution to many problems...as well as bring about others. You must tell me if you find yourself with an overwhelming desire for Niffleberries."

"Niffleberries?" Sigyn said, confused, "I haven't had those since I left Asgard. The nearest thing to them I've found here is strawberries. I think I like them a little more, actually."

"Those then..."

"What do they have to do with anything?" Sigyn asked.

"I'll explain later." Loki said.

"Wait...it isn't over yet...you distracted me..." Sigyn said, pulling out of Loki's arms and searching with her eyes in the area where Loriel's head had fallen.

"You're the one that introduced the subject." Loki told her.

"Loriel's tiara...I need it!" Sigyn cried frantically.

Thor strode quickly in the direction where Loriel's head had fallen and located it, lifting it from the ground by the hair. The tiara was still attached."

"This?" Thor asked. Both Sigyn and Loki bore an expression of disgust at the sight of Loriel's detached head.

"Just the crown." Sigyn told him.

Thor removed the tiara and tossed the head aside, carrying it back to Sigyn and handing it over to her. Sigyn detached the large crystal from the center facet and rushed to a nearby rock, placing the stone on the flat top of the rock.

"She used this to control them. Can you-?" Sigyn asked Thor, pointing at Stormbreaker.

"This weapon was made on Nidavellir by Eitri himself. It ended Thanos-"

"I don't need a history lesson. Just do it!" Sigyn exclaimed.

Thor joined Sigyn near the rock and raised Stormbreaker, bringing it down onto the crystal. It shattered in a burst of bright light, the pieces now lying scattered across the rock, cloudy and dull.

Behind them on the field of battle, the sounds of armed struggled faded away as surviving angels ceased fighting and appearing confused surrendered, throwing down their scepters and swords. Those in the air slowly descended, equally befuddled. As the battle ended, Quill jetted himself over to land near Thor, deactivating his mask.

"Did we win?" Quill asked.

"Against the odds we have emerged victorious." Thor answered him.

"Alright! Good job! Yay!" he said, patting Thor on the back before he noticed Loriel's decapitated body, his face expressing disgust, "Ewwwww."

Sigyn pulled the Salom Stone from the pocket in her tunic and placed it in the now empty facets.

"I suppose this is mine now." she said, sounding uncertain and reticent.

"Allow me." Loki said, taking it from her and placing it on her head.

"I suppose I should go talk to them." Sigyn said, looking towards those gathered on the battlefield.

The field was littered with the bodies of dead angels and Asgardians. The surviving warriors of both races and the resurrected Asgardian warriors began to gather. The surviving angels were already looking in Sigyn's direction as she stepped forward, the angels making their way around the living and resurrected Asgardians and the bodies of the fallen to assemble in front of them before falling to one knee before her. The surviving Asgardians, along with their resurrected allies followed suit. Dr. Strange, Wong, and the other Masters, out of respect for Sigyn's new position, did the same.

Barton looked over to see everyone kneeling. He turned his head to see Sigyn, Loki, Quill, and Thor.

"What the hell, never liked standing out in a crowd..." Barton said as he fell to one knee, Romanoff glanced over at him before kneeling with him.

"I...I don't know what to say...what do I do?" Sigyn whispered to Loki as she looked out over the crowd of people.

"This may sound strange coming from me...but my best advice is to simply be yourself." Loki answered before he also knelt, Thor and Quill doing so as well. Sigyn looked down at Loki on one side of her and then to Quill and Thor on the other.

"No...Loki...never kneel to me." Sigyn said as she took hold of Loki's arm and raised him back to his feet, "Thor...you either," she told the God of Thunder, raising as well, "Certainly not you, Quill." She also returned Quill to his feet. She turned to the crowd, speaking to them in as loud and commanding a voice as she could muster.

"No one who fought with me this day will ever kneel to me. As for those of Heven, you are now free. Loriel no longer-"

Before Sigyn could finish, the body of a deceased female angel warrior rose from the ground. Three others, another female and two males, rose from among the fallen behind her. Loriel's voice emanated from the former corpse. 

"You cannot kill us. We are eternal. The universe has not seen the last of me. That is my promise." Loriel's new form and the other three demons produced transport cylinders and vanished into their pink-violet light.

"Hers are idle threats. She is weak. She will not return anytime soon. She is weak. It will take much centuries, perhaps a millennia for her to again pose any threat to the realms. She is correct, however. Though the body she and her fellow denizens of Hel inhabit can die, she nor they can be killed, only contained. The vessel necessary to do so is in the vault in the palace on Heven." Odin said having risen to his feet, Frigga standing beside him.

"Would this vessel happen to be an orb, perhaps blue, producing its own light?" Loki asked his adopted father.

"How is it you know of it?" Odin asked.

"Damn." Loki said quietly.

"My people, return home to Heven. Spread the good news of what has taken place here. I will soon join you and we shall heal the wounds of Loriel's reign together." Sigyn said to the angels. The angels rose and made their way back to the Ladder.

"How was that?" Sigyn whispered to Loki.

"I could possibly have done better..." Loki responded, Sigyn staring at him in disbelief as he broke into a grin, "You did very well." Sigyn smiled though it quickly slipped from her face as she bowed her head.

"This is what you always wanted, not me. My mother never believed we would ever return, let alone reclaim the throne. I'm not sure that bothered her really. She had told me once that she had no desire to rule. I have no idea what I'm doing. I'll need to appoint ministers, advisers...you've done this before, but your people are here. You also now hold the throne of Jotunheim..."

"I'll appoint a regent to govern in my stead. As for Asgard..." Loki looked over the field to see that Thor had joined the resurrected Volstagg, Hogun, and Fandral, who all were greeting him with brotherly embraces and slaps on the back. Valkyrie, with tears streaming from her eyes, embraced her fellow Valkyries as they gathered near their steeds, "though they will surely not prosper as well as they did under my rule, I believe they're in capable hands."

"You will come with me, help me to make Heven what Asgard once was...perhaps more, to take its place...reign by my side?"

"As things stand, I could only advise," he answered, "However...we must move quickly." Loki took Sigyn's hand, leading her to where the Asgardians and their resurrected fellows had gathered and locating Frigga.

"Mother..." Loki greeted her, tears welling in his eyes as he looked upon her once again as he had done so many times in life.

"Loki, my son." Frigga said smiling and embracing him as she had been unable to do that night on the shore, "We must soon part once again."

"I've come to you to ask for your intercession." Loki told her as Frigga smiled brightly.

"You do not need my intercession. I know what it is you wish to ask. He would be honored." Frigga said as she removed her wedding band from her own hand and put it in Loki's palm, "Your father will be glad to do the same. Come." 

Frigga led them a few feet to where Odin was embracing Thor. Odin looked to Loki as father and son relinquished their embrace.

"My son, I congratulate you on your victory. Battles are not won only by might of the body." Odin said. Loki processed Odin's words, the approval of his father that he had always sought.

"It could not have been won without you and all those gathered here. A call by the Horn of Naglfar does not require one to come unless they wish it."

"Just as you did when you were called to return by Lailah. Frigga informed her of your other's impending return." Odin said.

Loki stood stunned at what Odin had just told him. It all made sense now. With his physical body once again alive in that timeline, calling his essence back from Valhalla had led to its merging with his other self. For all his pleading with his mother that night to return with her to Valhalla, not only had Frigga known that he was needed there for the sake of Sigyn but also that he had chosen to return.

"My king, before we depart your son has one last honor to ask of you." Frigga informed Odin.

*****************************

Barton and Natasha Romanoff stood apart from the crowd of Asgardians, watching them, each with one arm around the other.

"This was nothing like Budapest." Romanoff said.

"Nothing will ever be like Budapest." Barton responded, "Nothing will ever be like this either."

"I have to go, you know that, right?" 

"Yeah..." Barton answered.

"Don't follow me." 

"Can't. Got things to stick around for. Looks like I've got a bike to fix up. I'll see you there soon enough. I won't be sticking around as long as these guys. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing."

"Meh...could go either way." Romanoff responded, "Hey, is Steve's stuff still back there?"

"Yeah...we never touched it. It's just like he left it." Barton said.

"In his room, in the desk, drawer on the far left. Just hit play." 

"So how is it you're here anyway? Stark didn't show up. Everyone else out there's Asgardian."

"It's how it works...must have been on your mind."

"You're always on my mind-" Barton said, turning to Romanoff to find her gone, his arm around nothing but empty air. Slowly he lowered it, looking mournfully where she once stood, "See ya, Nat."

*****************************

Sigyn hugged Thor followed by Sif and Valkyrie as they congratulated her, Loki standing beside Frigga.

"There is something yet troubling you." Frigga said, "You can put your mind at ease. Your father's work was thorough. What you see now is not illusion, it is what you are. When you held the Casket and the Gelid, it is only something like an echo. You are of Asgard. Did you not think your father considered that the day would perhaps come that you would wish to marry and have children?"

"He had told me that he once hoped to use me to bring about an alliance, a permanent peace, would that not have precluded that?" Loki asked, surprised at this new information and puzzled.

"That was only one of many possibilities. You know your father, he always liked to keep all options open. He could have reversed his magic, returned you to your original form at any time had you wished him to, but only if you had wished it. He never entertained the notion of doing so against your will."

"Sending Sigyn here was not her will. All that she endured..." It was clear that Loki still held a grudge against Odin on that score and had not completely reconciled with it.

"That day in the woods, the pond. You were in danger and Thor as well. Had her father trusted your father, he would have soon learned that it was a ruse, your father had no intention of handing her or her mother over to Loriel. His betrayal led to what Odin had been considering as the only option...sending her to Midgard and with my help she would remain safe. When your father won the war but was unable to unseat Loriel from the throne, he knew that he could never recall her, that she must remain here. With my spell upon you and as time passed he thought it better to let you both go on with whatever lives you had created apart from each other. He never understood what I had known since that day I first brought her to you, you who were also so different. Do you remember that day?"

"I was barely old enough to write my name but I remember it as if it were yesterday."

"The visions I showed you, that can never now be as Asgard is no more but there can be something like it, if that is what you both wish. Those were my hopes for you. You must live your own. The time has come, we must go." Frigga said, embracing Loki.

"Will I see you again?" Loki asked hopefully.

"I do not know. It is difficult. There are limits. The day will come when we will all be together but let it be in the far in the future."

"Farewell, mother."

"I love you, my son. I have not rescinded the charge I gave you. Protect her, be her shield as you have vowed and she will do the same for you." Frigga said before she vanished as if she had never been there. The surviving Asgardians looked out over the former battlefield where now only the bodies of the slain could be seen where they rested.

Sigyn made her way back to Loki who was still gazing at the spot where his mother had stood. He turned to her, the two wrapping their arms around each other.

"So...what was it you wished to ask me?" Loki said to her.

"Will you come with me, reign by my side?" Sigyn repeated her earlier question. Loki grinned.

"How could I possibly say no?"

**********************************

Barton, instead of going home right away as he had initially intended, if they survived anyway, had requested Fury to take him to the Avengers compound. He had not gone into specifics as to why and Fury had not asked. Nick Fury was a perceptive man and knew that there was something weighing on Barton's mind beyond the mission and that this trip was somehow connected to it. He knew better than to question it. Barton would share whatever it was in his own time.

Barton entered Steve Rogers' former quarters and walked over to the desk along the wall. As he'd told Romanoff, everything was as it had been the last time Rogers had been there. Sliding open the far left drawer he saw what he had suspected he would find, a small digital music player with earbuds attached. He picked it up, putting the earbuds into his ears and powered it on, unsure if it was still holding a charge. It was. As he followed Romanoff's directive, an old song popular in Rogers' time during World War II, one that even Barton recognized though he was not born for decades after it was recorded, "We'll Meet Again." Barton listened to it all the way through, paying attention to the lyrics in a way he never had before, as he knew Romanoff had meant for him to do. 


	22. Epilogue

A thunderstorm assaulted Sigyn’s island with copious thunder, lightning and a driving rain. Inside Sigyn’s house, a new large screen television set had been installed on the wall. Across from it, seated on the couch was Loki, intently watching the movie on the screen. Behind him in the kitchen, Sigyn salted a large bowl of popcorn and carried it over to where Loki was seated. Glancing to her right she noticed a drop of water fall from the ceiling. There was already a bucket and a large bowl catching water from two other leaks around the room.

“Damn! There’s another one!” Sigyn said, quickly handing the bowl of popcorn off to Loki.

“Hmmm?” Loki asked, taking the bowl and setting it on the coffee table in front of the couch.

“Another leak. Thankfully there’s none in my room yet. Quill would have a stroke if any of that got wet. Need to get the roof patched. Probably just need to tear it off, replace the whole thing. I’ll talk to Clint. Maybe he’ll come out and take a look at it.” Sigyn told Loki.

“Barton?” Loki said, as he stuffed popcorn into his mouth.

“He does that kind of thing...have to catch him when he’s not off doing some Robin Hood meets James Bond shit. Thinking about putting a bike path in too. It would probably look strange back home for the Queen to be out riding it around.” Sigyn returned to the kitchen, opening a cabinet and procuring a large mixing bowl. She returned to the room and placed it under the newly discovered leak.

“How many times must I tell you? You’re the queen, you can do whatever you please. I’ve removed mother’s spell. We could as easily demolish this whole thing and bring our people here, they could build something far better in a day.”

“But I like this place. It’s nice getting away from everything. We can just be like normal people for awhile.” Sigyn replied.

“My love...neither of us have ever been nor will we ever be ‘normal’ people...by anyone’s standards.” Loki said, moving another handful of popcorn into his mouth.

“I said ‘like’. We can pretend. You know, like we used to?” Sigyn said as thunder rumbled outside followed soon after by bursts of lightning, “Aside from the roof, this is the perfect weather for this. It’s always better to watch horror movies during a storm.”

Sigyn rejoined Loki on the couch. They were watching the 1990 remake of Night of the Living Dead.

“This is supposed to be frightening? I thought it was a comedy. These people are unbelievable morons even for mortals.” Loki said.

“This is one of my favorite movies. It’s why I put this on my list.” Sigyn replied.

“It should be renamed ‘Night of the Imbeciles.’ Honestly, they’re keeping that plague child in the basement? It’s as if they want to die.”

“Just wait, you’ll love this next part.” Sigyn told him.

“These daft idiots actually survive long enough for there to be another part?” Loki asked, laughing as Sigyn playfully slapped him on the arm.

On the television, a young man and his girlfriend raced their truck to a locked gas pump. The man exited the truck, attempting to unlock the pump only to discover he’s taken the wrong keys.

“As I said, imbeciles. They’re all going to die.” Loki commentated on the movie from the couch.

“Wait for it...” Sigyn said, smiling.

On the screen, the man with the wrong keys pulled out a rifle, shooting the lock on the gas pump and causing an explosion, the truck, the man and his girlfriend going up in a ball of flames.

“Yes!” Loki cried out, jumping from the couch, “I knew they would die! I told you!”

“Yes, I know. I’ve seen this movie.” Sigyn said, laughing. Loki sat back down on the couch next to her.

“I’ve changed my mind. I like this.” he said scooping up another handful of popcorn from the bowl and moving it to his mouth.

“Wait until they show them taking target practice on zombies hanging from trees.” Sigyn told him with a sly smile.

“Don’t give the best parts away. I was not aware you had such a darkside. Not that I’m opposed to that...”

“I love scary movies, maybe because of the stories you used to tell me.”

“You were not such a fan of the Ghost of Eigill.” Loki reminded her.

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t expecting visuals. I have all kinds of movies...Poltergeist...we should watch that one next...Nightmare on Elm Street...The Exorcist...” Sigyn said before pausing, the smile slipping from her face, “On second thought, we should probably skip that one...”

“What’s it about?” Loki asked curiously.

“Possession...demons...” Sigyn said. Loki looked uncomfortable.

“Yes. I concur.”

“Maybe someday...it’s a good movie.” Sigyn said, reaching for more popcorn. Loki and Sigyn quietly watched the movie for a few more minutes.

“Anyway,” Sigyn spoke again, “How’s your project going? Your play. I know you want to get the theater up and running again.”

“It’s coming along. I’m in a bit of a conundrum. I’m not sure what to include and what to leave out.”

“What’s it about? I’ve been so busy, this is the first time I’ve had time to think to ask.”

“I thought it would be fitting to reopen with the story of your ascension.” Loki replied. Sigyn looked skeptical.

“This isn’t going to be another ‘The Tragedy of Loki of Asgard’ is it?”

“How did you know about that?”

“Thor told me when I told him you were writing again. It sounded like it was quite the...um...spectacle.”

“The highest of art. I’m afraid Thor never appreciated theater or anything else that doesn’t require punching things. It’s a shame that no copies of the script survived.”

“On a related note, I think you should hold off on the statues. We have bigger priorities.”

“How did you find out about those? They were to be a surprise.” Loki said, disappointment in his voice.

“I’m the Queen. I’m going to find out about most things eventually.”

“We must get the artists working. Loriel didn’t seem keen on art of any type. Perhaps just the one?” Loki said hopefully. Sigyn sighed and laid her head on Loki’s shoulder.

“Maybe just the one. Anyway, back to your play, I can tell you a few scenes to leave out of it...like the one where you tell all of my subjects that I was...you know...”

“Everyone has been at some point. Why would that be-”

“Leave it out.” Sigyn said before Loki could finish.

“If you wish.”

“I do. I really, really do. That other thing too...the messenger...”

“Oh...yes...I think the story will progress satisfactorily without that level of detail.”

“And the part where-” Sigyn began.

“By the time you’re finished, there will be no story left to tell.” Loki said.

“Maybe that would be better.” Sigyn told him, “We can talk about it later. We have to go back tomorrow. I have to get ready for the conference. The realms have been kept too isolated, even by Odin. If Loriel would make an appearance somewhere or something else were to happen, if we had relations outside them, others to call in our defense...”

“But that also puts us on the hook if it’s the other way around. One of the reasons my father avoided it.” Loki said.

“I know but she’s still out there somewhere. She’ll be back. We have to be ready.”

*******************************

On Heven, Sigyn stood dressed in a flowing gown, the circlet with the stone on her head which she preferred to the larger, heavier formal crown of the realm. She supervised angels as they carried two large trunks onto Sif’s ship. Loki approached her from behind, wrapping his arms around her.

“Why don’t you use the Ladder? It’s what it’s for.” Loki asked.

“Mostly because of all this. It’s just easier. You’ve said I must look the part and commissioned all this for me. I’ll be there a week. I may as well put it to use. It also gives me time to relax.”

“You can relax here.” Loki said, with his arms still around her.

“If you’d let me.” she said, feigning annoyance before grinning.

“We do have certain responsibilities to fulfill. We have to leave all this to someone.”

“As Barton said, practice makes perfect. At least when the time comes, when we’re sure we’re safe, we’ll know we’ll get it right.” Sigyn said turning her head and smiling at Loki.

“She isn’t coming back here anytime soon. My father said-”

“I know what he said.” Sigyn turned to face Loki, the two standing with their arms around each other, “I want it too, as much as you do, believe me. I just don’t want to take any chances. I don’t want the same thing that happened to me...for another child go through anything like that. When our people find her...”

“Life is never completely safe. It never will be. If not her, something or someone else. You know this.” Loki told Sigyn.

“I just need more time...to get used to all this. It’s only been a year. It’s sort of like learning to ride a bike I guess, you feel a little wobbly for awhile.” Sigyn told him.

“We should be going.” Sif said from the hatch.

“I’ll be right there.” Sigyn said to her.

“Why are you going in this rust bucket?” Loki asked, eyeing Sif’s ship.

“I just like being inconspicuous, I guess.” Sigyn said, answering Loki’s question.

“You will never be inconspicuous.” Loki told her.

“I have to go.” Sigyn said.

Sigyn and Loki shared a kiss before Sigyn entered Sif’s ship, turning and waving to Loki before Sif retracted the gangway and closed the hatch. The ship lifted off, Loki watching as it ascended.

******************************

Sigyn opened one of the trunks before removing the circlet around her head, stowing it inside it and reaching into it under a pile of gowns. She removed a pair of leggings and a blue V necked top with gold trim around the collar along with a pair of black boots. She put the leggings on under the dress, then stripped the gown off over her head and replaced it with the blue top, tossing the gown into the trunk. Kicking off her shoes she threw them into the trunk as well, replacing them with the boots, slamming the trunk closed. Making her way up to the front of the ship to the copilot’s seat she sat down as Sif looked over at her.

“How long are you going to do this?”

“Until we find her.” Sigyn answered.

“Quill? You there?” Sigyn asked. The com system came to life, music coming through it, Quill's voice barely discernible as he answered, “Quill...turn it down, I can’t hear you..” Sigyn said, unable to keep from smiling.

“Oh...sorry.” Quill said as the volume of the music lowered.

“What do you have for me?” Sigyn asked.

“Sounds like it could be our girl...or whatever she is. Thought you’d want to check it out. Sending the coordinates now. They said she hangs out in the bar. Calls herself Lamia. It’s a rough place so watch yourself.”

“I've got one of the best in the business with me. I’ll be fine.” Sigyn told Quill.

“We’re not too far from there, a few jumps. If you need back up, give us a holler.”

“I will. I’ll let you know what we find.” Sigyn said before calling up a playlist of her own, music beginning to play, "I'm glad I talked you into installing this. I almost went crazy the first couple of trips." Sigyn said to Sif.

"Tell me about it." Sif said.

***************************

Loki piloted the platinum hued ship away from Heven. As he sat in the pilot's seat deep in thought, a beep sounded from the console.

“Where’s she going?” Loki asked.

“Sending you the coordinates. It’s not a big system but it's pretty rough. A place for people looking for somewhere to lay low, where people don’t ask questions or to meet connections. Ravagers spend a good amount of time in and out of there. Been there myself but not lately.” Quill said over the com system.

“She thinks she’s there?”

“Sounds like it could be or one of them. Calls herself Lamia. Whatever she is, it doesn’t sound good. She’s got Sif with her, but even two Asgardians going up against what they might run into there...they could end up in over their heads.”

“She’s still going by the same name?”

“Yeah...Angela. She’s starting to get a rep out there. She’s not bad for a newbie. Guess Sif’s taught her a few things.”

“I’m sure she has. Thank you.” said Loki.

“Yeah, no problem. I’ll keep ya in the loop like I’ve been doin’.”

Loki signed off with Quill and as Sigyn had done, pulled up a playlist on the ship’s computer and set it playing the song Sigyn had once mentioned to him she had been glad she hadn't played. The first time he had heard it, Loki was puzzled as the lyrics seemed to have little relation to psychotic killers, but he liked it anyway. He was also displeased when people weren't polite.


	23. Chapter 23

I recently did a rewrite of this work. Though there's no major changes to the story, I believe that it flows more smoothly. I've included scene breaks to denote changes in scenes as well. 

I've done the same for the second book in the trilogy, Blood Royal, and will be working on the third, Playing With Fire, in the near future.


End file.
